Coventry City were stunned by top striker Dion Dublin's decision to turn down a new three-and-a-half year contract offer.

Dublin, who along with Darren Huckerby has formed Coventry's main strike force and subsequently limited Lightbourne's first team opportunities, rejected the third and final offer from Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson yesterday.

The offer was worth nearly 3 million over three years and would have netted Dublin about 16,000 a week. Now Coventry seem certain to cash in on Dublin's sale which could earn the club about 5 million. Crystal Palace, Leicester, Middlesbrough and Wimbledon are all reportedly interested in Dublin and will be watching developments.

Under the Bosman ruling, Dublin will be able to leave Highfield Road as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer of 1999. The club may decide to sell him now and cash in.

"We have made three escalating offers to Dublin, the final one which would have guaranteed him 2.92 over the three-and-a-half years,'' explained Richardson yesterday.

"It would have broken all our pay structures and highlights just how committed we were to trying to retain his services for the future.'' Richardson added: "I spoke to his agent who said the offer was not acceptable. I don't think Dion really wants to leave and I think it is a question of economics.

"But we have made our final offer and I am not going to put the club at risk for the sake of one player. There will be no more offers.

"I don't know where football is going and it is getting very close to a blackmail situation with the way things are now with transfers.'' While City have a ready-made replacement for Dublin in the recently acquired Romanian international Viorel Moldovan, Lightbourne is taking the opportunity to try and resurrect his career at Second Division club Fulham where he will stay for one month.

There is also the possibility of a permanent move to Fulham who have a five-year plan to get into the Premiership. Lightbourne will play his first match for them this weekend against Wycombe Wanderers.