GARETH Southgate is determined to do all he can to hold on to Ayegbeni Yakubu, despite Everton making a formal inquiry about the Nigeria international.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright is understood to have had a telephone conversation with a senior Boro official late on Monday evening in which he asked about the possibility of taking Yakubu to Goodison Park.

However, contrary to some reports, Kenwright has not made a formal bid for the Nigerian's services, and Southgate would strongly resist any approach were he to return with a firm offer.

The Middlesbrough manager has been forced to deal with persistent speculation linking Yakubu with a move away from the Riverside all summer.

The 24-year-old striker is known to have been unhappy with the way that he was dropped to the substitutes' bench at the end of last season and had been hoping to secure a move to his former employers, Portsmouth.

However, with Pompey boss Harry Redknapp failing to lodge an acceptable offer, Yakubu had resigned himself to remaining on Teesside for at least the first half of this season.

Everton's interest could muddy the waters again but, with the transfer window due to close on August 31, Southgate knows that he can ill afford to lose his most proven goalscorer, especially with Alan Smith having opted for Newcastle rather than Boro.

However, a previous admission that "every player has his price" suggests Southgate knows chairman Steve Gibson can't afford to rule out Yakubu's sale entirely.

Gibson would struggle to turn down a bid of 12m or more, but sources on Merseyside suggest that Everton boss David Moyes is unwilling to pay even 10m for the African.

With James Beattie having joined Sheffield United and James Vaughan ruled out for at least a month, Moyes is aware that he is short of firepower despite the presence of England international Andy Johnson.

But unless he opts to break his club's transfer record with a 12m bid, his pursuit of Yakubu will prove to be short-lived.

Despite the renewed speculation over his future, Yakubu is expected to lead the Boro line in Saturday's Premier League opener with Blackburn.

The striker's experience will provide a useful counter-balance to a defence that is likely to include Andrew Davies and David Wheater but, while the latter has only made five league starts for his hometown club, he is relishing the opportunity to pit his wits against the best that English football has to offer.

Much will depend on the fitness of Chris Riggott, who returned to training this week. But if Riggott fails to convince Southgate he is fit enough to face Rovers after a foot injury, Wheater will take on a Blackburn line-up that will include the prolific Benni McCarthy and the highly-rated summer recruit Roque Santa Cruz.

"We will be very confident," insisted Wheater. "People like McCarthy and Santa Cruz are just other players. You can't get nervous against players because when you come up against the likes of (Dimitar) Berbatov or (Wayne) Rooney you are just going to freeze. I don't get overawed, I just get excited and I'm ready for the battle.

"Blackburn are a bit like Bolton. I played against Bolton a few seasons ago when I first came into the team and they just booted it long and I loved heading it."

Southgate will make a late check on the fitness of Riggott, who has been nursing a bruised foot. It is probable that Wheater will make way if Riggott is available, despite the defender impressing alongside Davies in last weekend's friendly win over AZ Alkmaar.

And Wheater admitted that Riggott's imminent return provided extra impetus for himself and Davies to both stake their first-team claims against Alkmaar, in which the pair secured a clean sheet in the 2-0 win.

He said: "It was excellent to beat a team like Alkmaar. I think we had to handle them well because if Riggott is back for Saturday we are both fighting for the other centre-half position. We both wanted to have a good game and we did."

"I can't ask for anything more than the first team and I'm just glad the manager is pleased with how well I'm playing.

"I know it's not going to be easy to keep my place with others coming back, but I would like to play five to ten games this season and see what happens.