Sportswear tycoon Chris Ronnie is closing in on his takeover of Blackburn Rovers - and wants to do a deal before the club name a new manager.

Jjb supremo Ronnie has had four meetings with Rothschilds, the financiers selling the club for the Jack Walker Trustees, and there has been 'significant progress.'

Ronnie aims to have an 'exclusivity period' agreement that would let him go through the books and make a formal offer.

The main stumbling block is how much the late Rovers owner's family want.

They stopped pumping in cash recently but still have virtually complete control.

The Trustees are looking for around £35million for the club. Ronnie and his consortium - as first revealed by People Sport - want to buy the club and hand over a kitty for players this summer.

If Ronnie and his group can buy Rovers soon it could also head off possible sales of key players such as David Bentley or Roque Santa Cruz.