BOLTON Wanderers were in the dark as Coventry City stayed silent today over speculation that they will swoop with a £4 million bid for Nathan Blake as a replacement for hit-man Dion Dublin. The England striker is lined up for a £6.75 million transfer to Blackburn Rovers, although reports of two counter-bids -- one believed to be from Premiership rivals Newcastle -- appear to have thrown the whole business into confusion. But, wherever Dublin is heading, his almost inevitable move from Highfield Road could signal an approach for Blake, who was the subject of a failed bid from Wimbledon earlier this month.

This time, with Coventry having the wherewithal to meet Wanderers' valuation and satisfy the Wales international's financial demands, it could prove a successful bid.

Coventry have refused to confirm that Blake is the striker manager Gordon Strachan has identified as the powerhouse to take over from Dublin and Wanderers' boss Colin Todd said this morning that he had heard nothing from the Midlands club.

Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson, denying that Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham was a target, would only say his manager is looking for a younger player.

Twenty-six years old Blake and Wanderers have been tight-lipped since Joe Kinnear's failed bid to take him to Selhurst Park. The Dons boss, who was understood to have offered less than £3 million for the then Bolton top scorer, got as far as speaking to the Blake but was unable to take the deal to a successful conclusion.

Todd said the bid had been rejected and both he and Wanderers chief executive Des McBain went on to deny the club was under pressure from Burnden Leisure plc to sell any of their star players.

But Mr McBain admitted the club did have cashflow problems and a £4 million-plus bid for a player they bought for less than £1.5 million could turn out to be an offer they can't refuse . . . if it is forthcoming.

Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson said: "We have to be clear about obligations to the club and that is if you sell somebody such as Dion Dublin you have to bring a player in who is available, who you can afford, and that you really think is the one that you want.

"In this particular case we think we've achieved those three items with one player and certainly it is our intention to bring that player to a conclusion within the next few days."

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