HAVING delighted the fans by signing Paul Moody, Oxford United boss Mark Wright has made an audacious move to bring in another former Manor Ground hero, Dean Saunders.

But he says nothing is likely to happen with 'Deano' - because his former Derby and Liverpool teammate is not keen to drop down into the third division.

Wright has publicly stated that, having prised the 6ft 3in Moody away from Millwall for £150,000, and with Andy Scott now sidelined for six weeks through a torn hamstring, he would like to bring in a "quicker" forward who is able to play off his new centre forward.

And he admitted: "We've spoken to Deano, in fact we spoke to him only three or four days ago. He's coaching the forwards at Blackburn and isn't playing at the moment.

"But Dean was thinking that if he dropped down to the third division, people would be after him, looking at him as 'a scalp', and he says he doesn't need a broken leg. He doesn't seem keen, so I think that's a no."

Saunders, capped 75 times by Wales, scored 33 goals in 70 starts in his year and a half with Oxford United between March 1987 and October 1988 before being controversially sold to Derby for £1m.

He was later involved in moves to Liverpool for £2.9m, Aston Villa for £2.3m, Galatasaray for £2.35m, Nottingham Forest for £1.5m and Benfica for £500,000.

Now 37, he made ten Premiership appearances for Bradford City last season but was released at Valley Parade in the summer.

Meanwhile, Kidderminster Harrier striker Drewe Broughton's hopes of a move to Oxford look to be over.

Broughton and his agent Colin Gordon, the former Swindon Town player, turned down the personal terms offered by United last Friday, the day Wright signed Moody, and although the door remained open to them, it appears Wright's interest has waned.

"Drewe had his chance to join us last Friday, but he didn't take it," Wright said.