Neill, 28, is currently with English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, presently 11th in the table, having joined the north-west club in a one-million-pound move from Millwall - now in third tier League One - in 2001.

Rovers's Premiership rivals Liverpool had a pre-season approach for Neill rebuffed but that hasn't stopped the speculation surrounding his future and agent Peter Harrison told www.skysports.com: "We know there have been bids put in for him. There is a lot of interest from England and abroad."

Meanwhile Wigan manager Paul Jewell hopes to learn before the end of the week if a deal can be agreed to re-sign former striker Nathan Ellington, sold last year by the Latics to West Brom, now in the second division Championship.

West Brom are thought to be holding out for around three million pounds, with Wigan having reportedly made a bid of two million pounds.

"We will see what happens in the next 48 hours, but I do expect some sort of outcome one way or another," said the player's agent, Tony Finnigan.

Ellington, 25, scored 67 goals in three seasons with Wigan to help them into the Premiership but left after failing to agree a new contract.

Elsewhere, Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd fears the bottom of the Premier League club may struggle to keep England Under-21 forward Ashley Young at Vicarage Road.

Bothroyd, who has already rejected one bid of five million pounds for Young, said: "I have had three Premiership clubs on the phone making verbal bids for Ashley Young, but I have turned them all down.

"As it stands today, I absolutely do not see him leaving the club this month. If and when the time is right, and he wants to go, he will go. But the price has to be right, and it has to mean the club will be improved."