Wimbledon is on the minds of many Bermudians this week as the tennis championships reach a climax this weekend in London.

One Bermudian will have an even keener interest in Wimbledon -- the football club, that is -- because word has been spreading in the British press that the Carling Premiership team is on the trail of Bermudian footballer Shawn Goater.

The Daily Express revealed this week that Wimbledon was "set to sign Rotherham's highly-rated striker Shawn Goater.'' Yesterday a reporter from the Rotherham Advertiser contacted The Royal Gazette to see if Goater knew anything about the rumours, having been told by the club that there was no truth to it. The reporter added that the sale price for the 25-year-old Goater was estimated at 550,000 ($880,000).

When contacted at his coaching clinic last evening at Bernard Park, Goater was also caught off guard by the talk of a move back to the Premiership. He felt confident, though, that Rotherham would accept a bid in the half million dollar range, considering there is still a clause in the transfer deal with his former club, Manchester United, that guarantees them half of any subsequent transfer fee.

"I spoke to the gaffer (assistant manager John McGovern) about 10 days ago -- he's looking after my place because we live on the same estate -- and he said there hadn't been any inquiries,'' said Goater.

"I still have a year on my contract so if somebody is interested it is up to them to agree on a fee and then for me to go across to that club.'' Wimbledon just recently sold their defender Warren Barton to Newcastle United for 4 million which is a British record for a defender. That would give them plenty of money to spend on new players.

Wimbledon have a reputation as being robust and unattractive in their style, but Goater, 25, still appears very interested, especially as it would also take him into the top echelon in England. Wimbledon finished ninth in the 22-team standings last season.

"The Daily Express is a good paper and they are usually valid,'' said Goater of the transfer talk. Rumours of transfers are commonplace in the British tabloids, especially during the close season, some which develop and some which do not.

"The only good thing is that it is the Daily Express, which is considered a good newspaper,'' said Goater. "A lot of their articles are usually closer to being correct than wrong.'' Goater is due back in England this weekend, in time for pre-season training which begins next Wednesday. He expects to know upon his return whether there has been any genuine interest shown in him, though the last thing he would want is to be unsettled by the talk of a move like he was at the start of last season when Port Vale showed interest but never made a concrete move.

"You hear so many things that you just take it with a pinch of salt,'' said Goater. "Last time that got me off to a bad start when I went three or four games without my first goal.

"No matter what (Premier League) club it is it would interest me because it is a Premier League club and that can only benefit me, my football and my life standard.

"I would have thought if he (manager) had reached an agreement on a fee with Wimbledon then I'm quite sure they would have said `look Shawn, we've agreed a fee with this club, we're happy, we're quite sure you'll be happy and can you come back early'. But maybe they want to keep it all under wraps.'' Goater, who purchased a bigger house in Sheffield last season, is happy at Rotherham which is now managed by Scot Archie Gemmill who has built the team around him.

Goater responded by leading the scoring with 25 goals, and that strike rate of one every two games, like that of another Bermudian Kyle Lightbourne who netted 27 for Third Division team Walsall last season, has gotten the attention of clubs in higher divisions. West Ham United, also of the Premier League, have apparently shown interest in Lightbourne.

Millions of pounds have been spent by clubs in England this summer, with a record 8.5 million being spent by Liverpool for Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore just last week. The two Bermudians would dearly love to get a piece of the action.

"I'm getting a bit depressed because I've been at Rotherham for five years and it was supposed to be a stepping stone but it seems to be a step I can't get off,'' said Goater.

"As long as I'm at the club and always the leading goal scorer I'll have no doubts about my future.

"We're playing good football which suits me and a lot of the team talks are centred around me which I'm happy with. My main job right now is to make sure I'm the main scorer at the end of the season and that should secure me for a further contract.'' SHAWN GOATER -- Shown at his soccer clinic, Goater is rumoured to be headed to the English Premier League.