Town are amongst a number of Championship clubs being linked with a move for Rochdale central defender Craig Dawson. Burnley are reported to heading the Blues and Middlesbrough in the race to sign the 20-year-old.

Dawson was left out of his hometown club’s side for Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Bradford with a move away from Spotland thought to be close.

In May, Boro had a bid of £400,000 turned down by the League One club, who have set a price of £1 million for the 6ft 2in tall centre-half, who has handed in two transfer requests over the summer. Earlier in the year, a £250,000 bid from Scunthorpe was also rebuffed by the Lancastrians.

Burnley are currently understood to be the frontrunners, but the Blues are also said to be ready to tempt Dale with an offer close to their valuation.

Dawson, who was named Coca-Cola League Two Player of the Year last season as his club won promotion, started his career with non-league Radcliffe Borough and has previously been linked with Tottenham and Fulham.

The defender, whose current contract stretches until 2012, has been tipped as a future England international.

Photo: Action Images

trulyblue added 11:29 - Aug 2 I've seen this lad play a couple of times. Would be an excellent signing, he's certainly much better then the level he's been playing.... Probably one of the best and most promising defenders outside of the top two divisions (But that won't stop the moaners !).
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Nunn_the_Wiser added 11:33 - Aug 2 Heard good things about this lad....
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BlueBadger added 11:34 - Aug 2 Oooh, this could be the 20 goal a season man we're crying out for.
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tractored added 11:41 - Aug 2 Not the required standard, we should be looking at Gabbidon.
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blueherts added 11:45 - Aug 2 Gabbidon - now that is a joke surely - Take the lad from Rochdale any day
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suffolksam added 11:45 - Aug 2 this bloke is a 30+ man mark my words
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SiBo added 11:48 - Aug 2 tractored: Have you seen Dawson play? If not how can you comment he isn't the required standard? Also do you think we would be able to match Gabbidon's wage demands, given he's at West Ham, who pay players ridiculously high wages in some instances... that's assuming they would let him go...
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NORFOLK_BLUE added 11:56 - Aug 2 he has been tipped for big things. hopefully we can get him and off we go!
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chelmofan added 12:05 - Aug 2 If we sign this fella we could play mcCauley RB like northern ireland and have a backline of Fulop McCauley Dawson Delaney Kennedy
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legoman added 12:16 - Aug 2 Sounds good chelmo with peters at RM
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suffolksam added 12:24 - Aug 2 shouldnt the goaly be in the middle ? clhemo
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chelmofan added 12:33 - Aug 2 yeah sorry sam when i posted i did have the keeper in the centre but for some reason it just slid him to the left!!! I would also have a diamond midfield with RM Hyam Edwards Civelli Leadbitter
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Lightningboy added 12:36 - Aug 2 Gabbidon would be a great signing but he's been so injury prone over the last 2-3 seasons..would be a waste of time and money. Would much rather see us grab some up and coming kids from the lower leagues..no doubt we'll miss the boat on this one again though. Can't quite understand what our problem is re a striker though?..if we've targeted/attempted to sign Chopra and failed why aren't we going in for someone else?..surely Keane must've had other targets in mind this summer?..is our scouting network that limited?

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Suffolk_n_Good added 12:55 - Aug 2 As good a signing as he may be, it'll never happen whilst he has the options of joining Boro or Burnley, both will be able to attract him more ahead of us, What can we offer him?....... A team not able to score goals, & a season of mid-table obscurity!....... ooooooo I bet he can't wait to sign!
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arc added 13:03 - Aug 2 Great–headline: "Town have no chance to sign promising youngster, because Burnley and Boro are also interested." Well, I suppose it's good that we showed interest.
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robdaful added 13:26 - Aug 2 I can't comment as I haven't seen him play but this Dawson lad is the right age and could be great cover. Probably will replace Bruce now Bruce has gone. I can here some moaning comeing about how a defender isn't top priority.
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Mungo added 13:56 - Aug 2 I'm all for signing promising young players, however I can't see this one happening simply because we already have two or three promising young centre backs. Is Dawson significantly better than any of them? Also, RK has been bemoaning the lack of experience at the back, so signing a 20 year old is unlikely to be part of the plan (assuming there is a plan of course!)
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jas0999 added 17:08 - Aug 2 I can't see this one coming off - other clubs are in the driving seat and we have a number of up and coming youngsters ourself. More likely Roy would be targetting an experienced defender - if any at all. Keeper, Striker and Midfielder appear to be the priorities.
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SiBo added 17:37 - Aug 2 jas0999: That's exactly what RK has been saying over the past week... A keeper, a midfielder (only if Garven signs and goes, which looks more likely now) and a Forward. So like you, I think this is no more than paper talk!
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blueherts added 23:46 - Aug 2 Get Rickie Lambert .. NOW !!
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