MARTIN Dahlin's transfer to Ewood has moved a significant step closer, with Blackburn Rovers agreeing a fee of just under £2 million with his Italian club AS Roma.

There are still personal details to sort out and the medicals to undergo before the signing is completed. But Rovers are now optimistic that they will have the man who spearheaded Sweden's surge to the semi-finals of the last World Cup on board by the time they start their pre-season fixtures next week.

We revealed the renewed Ewood interest in the striker at the beginning of this week and it now looks as though it is going to come to fruition with the capture of a man rated very highly by manager Roy Hodgson.

Roma's original asking price was around £2.5-3 million but Rovers have managed to talk them down for a player who was among the top scorers in the Bundesliga last season.

Out of favour following a change of coach at Roma, Dahlin went back to Borussia Moenchengladbach on extended loan and was a big success.

Hodgson knows him well and it is Dahlin's respect for the new Ewood boss that has played a big part in persuading him to come to England. Over recent years, he has been the subject of a lot of interest from Premiership clubs - Rovers and Everton among them - but had always declined to play in this country.

I understood he could have stayed in Germany as Moenchengladbach were hoping to sign him on a permanent basis.

But Hodgson's move to Ewood has influenced the striker to do the same.

Dahlin is 29 and should be at the peak of his career.

Providing there are no unforeseen problems over personal terms or the medicals, the deal should go through early next week.

The player would then have the chance to return to his native Sweden next Wednesday, when Rovers fly out for the start of their build-up games.

They have two matches lined up in Sweden and one in Copenhagen.

The majority of Rovers' players reported back for pre-season training yesterday, while the season doesn't end for the likes of Damien Duff, David Worrell and Tom Morgan until tomorrow!

Ghana are the opposition for the Republic of Ireland in the battle for third and fourth places in the World Youth Championships (under-20s) in Malaysia.

The three Ewood youngsters did well in the Irish march to the semi-finals, before they were beaten 1-0 by Argentina, and Duff and Worrell will no doubt be given a much-needed break before they return for training.

Morgan was released by Rovers at the end of last season but his performances in Malaysia should have helped him in the search for a new club.

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