Villa eye Friedel as Blackburn face an exodus

Blackburn are in danger of losing their best players as well as their manager after it emerged that Aston Villa are ready to raid Ewood Park for Brad Friedel.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill switched his sights to the Blackburn goalkeeper after deciding against meeting Liverpool's asking price of £10million for on-loan Scott Carson and is about to make his move now that manager Mark Hughes has completed his switch to Manchester City.

Blackburn are also bracing themselves for the likely loss of David Bentley and Roque Santa Cruz and are concerned at claims that Stephen Warnock has become unsettled and centre back Ryan Nelsen may be on his way out.

Hughes is expected to make Bentley one of his first signings and could bid for Santa Cruz as well if owner Thaksin Shinawatra fails in his ambitious attempt to pair Ronaldinho with imminent arrival Jo.

Should Santa Cruz leave, Blackburn will weigh up a £4m move for Ewood old boy James Beattie, now at Sheffield United.

O'Neill believes Friedel can provide a short-term answer to Villa's quest for a new No 1 and is confident he can land him for as little as £3m, given he is 37 and is on a one-year rolling contract.

Sam Allardyce, the former Bolton boss, is believed to have been asked about succeeding Hughes. MK Dons boss Paul Ince, also a likely candidate for the Blackburn job, was last night the subject of an approach by relegated Leicester City.