Source: Team_Talk
Rovers look to Europe for striker
Having sold Roque Santa Cruz to Manchester City for a fee in the region of £17million and Matt Derbyshire to Olympiakos for £3million, manager Sam Allardyce is keen to reinforce his forward line.
The squad returned to pre-season training on Wednesday and the Rovers boss would like to recruit a recognised goalscorer as soon as possible - but that may take longer than expected.
Allardyce has been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, 33, as the former Manchester United forward has slipped down the pecking order at the Bernabeu.
"We have been looking around for a proven Premier League striker but it is proving a difficult task," said chairman John Williams.
"We may need to look abroad and go down that route."
Rovers are also keen to bring in Chelsea's 20-year-old Argentinian Franco Di Santo on a season-long loan, although that would not replace the need for a main striker.
Williams, however, dismissed suggestions they had made a move to bring back former striker Kevin Davies from Bolton.
"Di Santo is a player we are interested in but we have not enquired about Kevin Davies," he said. "(Bolton chairman) Phil Gartside phoned me to clarify the rumours, not the other way round."
Allardyce has already made four signings, with French midfielder Steven N'Zonzi joining former Everton defender Lars Jacobsen and South Africa midfielder Elrio van Heerden at Ewood Park, with defender Gael Givet's loan spell made permanent
And although he is working to a limited budget the Rovers boss is prepared to spend all of it on one player if he can find the striker he needs.
"I did it three years ago on Nicolas Anelka at Bolton," he told the Lancashire Telegraph. "It was a big gamble because the squad wasn't very big but Nicolas' goals took us up to the next level.
"If we secured someone who would put the goals in the back of the net, we would be much better as a team and [I would] sacrifice bringing in any other players other than that."
Blackburn have also been linked with a move for former Holland winger Andy van der Meyde, whose contract at Everton was not renewed following a miserable spell in which he made just 24 appearances after his move from Inter Milan in 2005.
