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Allardyce continues search for a striker

BLACKBURN ROVERS: BLACKBURN MANAGER Sam Allardyce continues to scour Europe and beyond in his search for a striker after conceding…

Wed Jul 08 2009 - 01:00

BLACKBURN ROVERS:BLACKBURN MANAGER Sam Allardyce continues to scour Europe and beyond in his search for a striker after conceding defeat in his bid to lure Ruud van Nistelrooy away from Real Madrid.

Allardyce knows he needs a proven centre-forward to replace Roque Santa Cruz, who he sold to Manchester City last month, and is exploring every possible option.

However, he has accepted he probably would not be able to afford the wages of the 32-year-old Dutchman.

There is also the added complication of the former Manchester United player’s fitness, as he missed much of last season with a knee injury and is not expected to return in time for the start of the Premier League campaign next month.

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“I think probably Ruud, from a salary point of view, is out of our reach,” he said. “And I think he is not going to be fit until September, so that is not going to be what we are looking for at the moment.

“We need someone right now who can join up with the squad as soon as we can.”

Allardyce also denied he had made an approach for Portsmouth and England striker Peter Crouch – also on financial grounds.

“We think he is probably out of our reach and bigger clubs than Blackburn will take him if Portsmouth decide they are going to sell him,” he added.

“No-one has said to me from Portsmouth that he is for sale so we haven’t done anything from that point of view.”

Allardyce also dismissed speculation linking Egypt striker Amr Zaki, who spent last season on loan at Wigan, with the club.

Such is the priority to find competition for existing strikers Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts that Allardyce has remained in Lancashire while the rest of his squad have travelled to Austria for a training camp.

Former Italy striker Christian Vieri has joined the squad in Austria as Allardyce assesses whether to take a gamble on a player who turns 36 on Sunday. The ex-Juventus and Milan forward is a free agent after leaving Atalanta.

Blackburn will open negotiations with Ireland midfielder Steven Reid and team-mate David Dunn in the next few weeks as both have entered the final year of their contracts.