Blackburn Rovers Football Club

• Nickname:Rovers
• Founded:1875
• Manager:Michael Appleton

• Ground:Ewood Park
• Capacity:31367

Khizanisvili close to loan exit

10 Sep 2009 - 10:29:25

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Georgia international Zurab Khizanishvili is being linked with a loan move from Blackburn Rovers to Middlesbrough.

The 27-year-old former Dundee and Rangers star has spent the last four years at Ewood Park but has failed to start a Premier League game since March.

Khizanishvili had been linked with a summer switch to Newcastle United, but now looks set to agree a three-month loan deal with Gareth Southgate's team.

Meanwhile, midfielder Brett Emerton is finally close to a first-team return.

The Australia international has been sidelined for eight months since enduring cruciate ligament surgery, and admitted: "It was the first major injury of my career and it took time to sink in.

"It's been a good road to recovery. I feel fit and strong and as good as ever. I thought I'd just twisted my knee at first. It wasn't until the following day that I went for a scan and found out that it was my cruciate.

"I was very surprised at first that it was something so serious."