NOT FOR SALE

A source close to the Blues said yesterday they had tabled an offer in the region of £6m for the young England left back as the club's new owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, starts assembling his all-star line-up for the coming season.

Oil tycoon Abramovich, estimated to be worth £3.8bn and the 49th richest man in the world, has already invested £160m into the Stamford Bridge club to become the majority shareholder and wipe out existing debts. He has also promised to invest at least £200m in turning the Blues into one of the best teams in the world.

But Lowe stood firm in the face of the speculation and vowed to keep hold of one of his biggest stars.

"Wayne Bridge is not for sale and that is as far as it goes," he said.

Lowe has said all year that Saints are so financially strong they don't need to sell any of their top players. And with that policy in mind, even in a depressed transfer market, the offer of £6m might prove not quite irresistible enough to change strategies.

The Saints chairman remains keen to back successful boss Gordon Strachan who would not want to lose Bridge and have to hunt for a replacement with only Francis Benali, who is expected to adopt more of a coaching role this season, and Danny Higginbotham as cover at left back.

Southampton born and Winchester bred, 22-year-old Bridge has come up through the ranks at Saints having supported them as a boy.

He has made over 150 appearances for the club as well as winning 12 England caps and playing in Sven-Goran Eriksson's team in the World Cup finals last year.

Bridge, who played Tyro League football as a youngster and last season set a new Premiership record of 113 consecutive appearances, has always said he's happy at St Mary's.

Abramovich, meanwhile, has also offered West Ham £6m for young right-back Glen Johnson and are chasing Edgar Davids from Juventus.

Chelsea's opening bid, reported to be £8million, met with a defiant flat hand from Juventus president Luciano Moggi who said: "Even if Abramovich offered the moon we would not sell him."

Reports are circulating that both ex-Real Madrid chief Vincente del Bosque and Oleg Romantsev - the former Spartak Moscow and Russia manager - could be in the running for Claudio Ranieri's job.