Newcastle United and Manchester City are reportedly set to battle it out at the January transfer window for Blackburn Rovers left-back Stephen Warnock.

The 26-year-old England international has been at Ewood Park since signing under Mark Hughes, who is now City manager, in January 2007 from Liverpool.

The Magpies were heavily linked with Warnock in the summer, but failed to bolster the position and are now said to be desperate to bring in someone to give competition to Jose Enrique.

For City, Hughes has experimented playing Micah Richards at left-back but is now looking for an experienced player to fill up the position on long-term basis.

According to the Sunderland Echo, Newcastle executive director (football) Dennis Wise sent scouts Jeff Vetere and Lil Fucillo to Ewood Park on Saturday to see Blackburn Rovers take on Sunderland with the pair reportedly watching Warnock.

Paul Ince had successfully warded off suitors in the summer from luring away one of their key first-team star in Warnock, and it could be a busy time again for the Rovers boss in the New Year transfer period.