Allardyce ready to spend

Allardyce: Searching for a striker

Related links

Teams

• Blackburn Rovers

Players

• Michael Owen

Also see

• Transfer Centre
• Clockwatch
• Papers
• Your View
• Betting

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is ready to spend his entire transfer budget in order to end the search for a new striker, but has again ruled out signing Michael Owen.

With Roque Santa Cruz having finally completed his move to Manchester City and doubts surrounding the future of Benni McCarthy, Allardyce is short of attacking options.

The Ewood Park boss - who is understood to have collected £18million for Santa Cruz - has admitted an interest in Real Madrid's injured forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, but curiosity in a reunion with former Bolton colleague Kevin Davies has ended.

Allardyce is desperate to bring a new face to Blackburn in time for the start of the season and confesses he is prepared to splash all the cash he has available in order to get his man before considering reinforcing other areas of his squad.

He told Sky Sports News: "If all the money I have available has to go on a striker, it has to go on a striker and that is it.

"We are not going to sign any other players in any other positions until we have secured the player up front as quickly as we can.

"After that we will have a look at what we need from there."

No Owen offer

But Allardyce has reiterated that he will not be looking to sign Owen, who is a free agent after his reported £120,000-a-week contract at freshly-relegated Newcastle expired.

The 89-time England cap's management company, Wasserman Media Group, has circulated a brochure to prospective parties both at home and abroad, with Hull City and Stoke City sounding their interest.

Allardyce, though, is adamant he will not be attempting to lure Owen to Blackburn after working with the said-to-be injury-prone ex-Liverpool and Real star at St James' Park.

When asked if the 29-year-old was an option, Allardyce said: "No, not for me. I don't think that we could afford him.

"I think that, from my point of view, with being at Newcastle, it has always been the injury threat.

"I can ill afford to sign a player who is going to be out of the team and has to really guarantee me 30-plus games a year.

"Unfortunately for Michael, if you look at the last few years, I can't take a gamble on that."