Alan Shearer season. Speculation of a transfer to Liverpool, who finished the season as FA Cup winners, also came to nothing. During the middle of 1992, Southampton's manager, Ian Branfoot, became "the most popular manager in English football", as he took telephone calls from clubs "trying to bargain with players they don't want plus cash". Although Branfoot accepted that a sale was inevitable, he claimed that "whatever happens, we are in the driving seat". In July 1992, Shearer was sold to Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £3.6 million, with David Speedie reluctantly moving to The Dell as part of the deal.
Alan Shearer final goals for the club came on 17 April 1996, when he scored twice in a 3–2 home league win over Wimbledon. Shearer's international strike rate had also dried up, with no goals in the twelve matches leading up to Euro 96. He missed the final three games of the season for his club due to injury, but recovered in time to play in England's UEFA European Championship campaign. After Euro 96, Manchester United again sought to sign Shearer, and attempted to enter the battle for his signature. However Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards stated that Blackburn Rovers refused to