• Rovers hoped to pick up striker on a free transfer
• Tony Pulis wants £1.75m for out-of-favour Beattie

Blackburn Rovers have failed in an attempt to re-sign James Beattie after being told that Stoke City are looking to recoup a significant sum for the former England striker despite the manager Tony Pulis’s desire to move on a player he clashed with last season.

Blackburn had hoped that, with Stoke keen to get Beattie, one of their highest earners, off the wage bill, there might be a chance to pick up a player who started his career at Ewood Park on a free or for a nominal fee. However, Stoke have signalled that they would be looking for about £1.75m for Beattie, who cost them double that amount when he joined from Sheffield United in January 2009. Stoke also informed Blackburn that they would not consider loaning Beattie to one of their Premier League rivals.

Beattie clashed with Pulis at the Emirates Stadium in December, when the Stoke manager is alleged to have headbutted the forward following a disagreement over the club’s Christmas night out. The 32-year-old served a grievance procedure against Pulis but an investigation failed to find in his favour.

He made only one more appearance for Stoke after that episode and was left off the club’s pre-season trip to Austria along with Dave Kitson, another striker who is available for transfer this summer.

Blackburn RoversStoke CityTransfer windowStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk

• No Stoke supporters involved
• Twenty-five year-old arrested

A man injured during yesterday’s Premier League match at Stoke City has died in hospital.

The 30-year-old fan is thought to have been hit on the head with a bin. He was found unconscious and taken to hospital where he died in the small hours of Sunday morning.

The incident occurred in the Blackburn Rovers section of the ground and police say no Stoke supporters were involved.

“The circumstances are being fully investigated,” said a police spokesman. “A 25-year-old man remains in custody and is helping police with their inquiries.”

The man was found by police just after 4pm on Saturday in the Britannia Stadium’s south stand which housed Blackburn fans.

Police said the man was treated at the scene for a head injury and cardiac arrest.

Chief Inspector Adrian Roberts, match commander at the game, said there were just over 1,300 Blackburn fans at the game, which Stoke won 3-0.

Stoke CityBlackburn RoversPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk

The best of the action from the Boxing Day fixtures in the Premier League

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