BLACKBURN Rovers have been ruled out as the mystery English club rivalling Glasgow Rangers for the services of Scotland defender Paul Ritchie.

Hearts today confirmed they had received a bid of £800,000 from Ibrox for their 23-year-old star.

But that sum pales into insignificance alongside that of the English side -thought to be one of the relegated trio of Rovers, Charlton and Forest - who are prepared to pay in excess of £1.5million in an attempt to lure the player away from Tynecastle. Hearts' directors will discuss Ritchie's situation in the next few days after going public on both bids.

"We have received a bid for Paul Ritchie from Rangers. The bid is £800,000 and will be discussed by the board over the next few days," the club stated on their web site.

"A further bid has been received from an English First Division side for a sum in excess of £1.5million and this is also being discussed."

Rangers have been linked with Ritchie for the past month after impressive recent displays for club and country and Rovers were also mentioned in dispatches in transfer speculation last season. With Ritchie out of contract at the end of next season it is understood Rangers are reluctant to pay more than £1million for the player.

And, even if the Scottish giants were successful, that is unlikely to open a new door for the return of Colin Hendry from Ibrox.

Rovers have continually insisted that that move is not an option.

Hearts may well want more than that and have not ruled out keeping him, but will be mindful of David Weir's cut-price departure to Everton last season.

The Tynecastle outfit were unable to finalise either a new contract for Weir or attract a buyer during the summer and later lost him for a mere £250,000.

Rangers, who also remain interested in Dundee's out-of-contract Polish midfielder Dariusz Adamczuk, are keen to bolster their Treble-winning squad.

But purchasing Ritchie would again place doubts over the long-term future of Scotland captain Colin Hendry as Rangers' centre-half.

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