MIDDLESBROUGH may be ready to challenge Everton for Leicester City's £6m-rated midfielder Neil Lennon.

Midlands sources claimed yesterday that Boro had entered the frame for the Northern Ireland international.

New Filbert Street boss Peter Taylor is understood to be willing to cash in on 29-year-old Lennon.

Everton are believed to be favourites to land Lennon, with Goodison Park boss Walter Smith facing the prospect of losing Sunderland target Don Hutchison - subject of a £2.5m bid by Charlton Athletic - John Collins and former Boro star Nick Barmby.

A move for Lennon by Boro would surely spell the end of Paul Gascoigne's career at the Riverside Stadium.

The 33-year-old former England midfielder, linked with a move to Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock, yesterday reported back to Boro's Hurworth training complex yesterday, three days ahead of the bulk of Bryan Robson's squad.

A club spokesman confirmed: ''Paul returned for training with the rest of the players who need that little bit of extra fitness work after injuries.''

Gascoigne, out of action for nearly five months since breaking his arm with a reckless challenge on Aston Villa's George Boateng, has attracted interest from clubs in America and Australia and also been linked with a move to Japan.

But Boro chairman Steve Gibson has said: "As far as I'm concerned and the club is concerned, Paul is a Middlesbrough player.''

Meanwhile, Boro could be on a collision course with Euro 2000 winners France if Christian Karembeu is called up for a charity match three days before the start of the Premiership season.

Karembeu, who sealed a £2.1m move to Boro from Real Madrid last week, is likely to be named in the French squad for the game against a FIFA World XI in Marseille on Wednesday, August 16.

Boro open the season at Coventry and will be reluctant to risk 29-year-old Karembeu, who only played a cameo role in the Euro 2000 campaign.

Arsenal and Chelsea will also be affected and Manchester United could be forced to release France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who is due to make his Premiership debut against Newcastle at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 20.

Boro boss Robson could have Cameroon striker Joseph-Desire Job among his squad when he returns from holiday on Thursday. Lens star Job is being lined up for a £3m move to Teesside.

l Blackburn have completed the signing of Barnsley's free-scoring former Boro midfielder Craig Hignett for £2.25m, writes NEIL ANDREWS.

Fulham were also in the hunt for Hignett's signature, but the player's decision was swayed by the presence of Graeme Souness at Blackburn, Hignett's hero as a youngster.

Hignett, 30, said: ''I want to play for Graeme Souness. It sounds corny but he was my idol at Liverpool.

''I feel he knows about me and my game and I'm flattered that he wants me. ''

Barnsley manager Dave Bassett was disappointed to lose the club's prize asset, but understood that financial constraints forced his hand.

He said: ''It's no shock that we've had to sell Craig even though we didn't want to lose him, but he only had one year of his contract left and we couldn't meet what he wanted for a longer contract.