Blackburn Rovers want two strikers to replace injured Leon Best

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Blackburn Rovers striker Leon Best

Blackburn Rovers will look to sign two strikers before the start of the season to replace the injured Leon Best.

The 25-year-old has been with a serious knee injury.

Blackburn have made a tentative inquiry for Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes but were told the player is not for sale.

"What we have to do now is find a good replacement and also supplement that," Blackburn's global advisor Shebby Singh told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"There is still time for us to do that. Three weeks will be enough for us to make sure we start the season with a very competitive strike force.

"We were always going to look for someone else to deputise for Leon.

"Now we've got to look for someone who is going to play and another player who is going to deputise."

Blackburn get their Championship season under way at Ipswich on Saturday, 18 August.

Best, who joined Rovers from Newcastle for £3m this month, scored in the 2-1 friendly win over AEK Athens on Sunday but was carried off on a stretcher before half-time.

Scans on Monday confirmed Best damaged his cruciate ligaments, which will keep him out until the new year.

"We signed Leon because he's got the strengths that we need," continued Singh. "Now we're going to lose him for a minimum of six months.

"I feel for him because he's bought into the ambition of the club and he's been fantastic in training.

"Against AEK Athens, he was bullying their defenders. And then this happens.

"When I heard the news, it was difficult for me not to cry. Life has to go on, but right now it hurts very deeply."

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  • yeah i agree. why pay 3m for Goodwillie and then not even give him the oppurtunity to play in the Championship? never mind PL. no doubt the owners/ managers bring in these short-term players eg Gomes with no future planning. @7. have you ever seen him play? he is actually pretty good. should watch his pen against Spain and some of his performances for Dundee U in Europe and against OF.

  • 22 funkymc1 - Perhaps you should learn to read before ranting on public forums again? I said in Goodwillie's final year in the SPL.
    Stats from their final full season in the SPL:
    Goodwillie: 17 goals, 10 assists
    Jelavic: 16 goals, 5 assists
    Fletcher (08/09): 11 goals, 2 assists

    I'm not claiming that makes Goodwillie a better player, he just scored & assisted more in his final season. Feel silly?

  • When given his chance, Godwillie has scored goals. Think Blackburn should now give him a run of games to prove himself. He is still relativley young.

  • Goodwillie must be given a proper chance, not just 10 minute cameos. The Championship is more his level, he's a proven goalscorer who will score goals for fun in that league. Why spend the best part of £3m and not use him?

  • Kean has more money than sense and maybe not much sense!He has not given Goodwillie a chance.He is not a "bit part player", he's thrives on goals and the opportunity to score produces a confidence which delivers even more goals. How can you expect to get the best out of a player if you don't play him where he can score.Give him back on loan rather than waste the boys talent!Blackburn going nowhere

  • The problem Goodwillie has is that he is a footballer in a team that struggle to play football. Kean's tactics suit the big "haddie" up front that will throw himself about. That was Blackburn's downfall last season. Goodwillie banged them in for Dundee United as he would receive passes to the feet. Plus he got more that 7 minutes at the end of a game.

  • Goodwillie scored 19 goals in his last season with Dundee Utd.

    He also scored 4 goals last season for a terrible Blackburn team, of which he almost only ever got on for the last 20 minutes of games.

    Why did Kean buy him if he never had any intention of playing him? He might not be the most talented player in the league, but he's easily good enough for the Championship.

  • Harsh luck on blackburn spending £3million on Leon Best then he does his Cruciate Ligament ....wish him a speedy recovery.Surely they got some cash to spend to bring in a decent quality striker, If not then David Goodwillie will do a job in the championship. Big blow losing Hoilett to QPR hes a real quality player.

  • I'm an Arsenal fan and just thought I'd mention that we have Niklas bendtner & Marouane chamakh available! They certainly have the height and strength that Blackburn desire.

  • ChubbyPandas, Michael Owen said he would not play in the Championship.

  • I don't really think signing 2 more strikers is such a good idea. This just sounds like something Steve Kean would do, get loads of strikers, realise that one is better than another, overuse them and leave the other ones to sit on the the bench and not realise what good talent they actually have. That's what kind of makes them a Championship team in terms of transfer buisness.

  • ooooooh. kids eh?

  • Shebby wants someone to "deputise" for Leon Best, his is not an appealing invite for a potential suiter.As it is only a mercenary of the highest order would consider Blackburn and join the year round panto currently showing at Ewood Park.Shebby is emotionally involved very quickly to be on verge of tears, life does go on and exaggeration stinks to curry favour even if you do say you are a fan. KO!

  • what about nick blackman & jordan slew? - both loaned out last season, time for them to be given a chance,however with kean at the helm that might not happen,why oh why do the owners persist in this man being manager,right now i'd take mick mccarthy to get us back up,big sam must be laughing all the way to the olympic stadium

  • They asked Huddersfield about Rhodes! Lol! They must be insane over there! Probably offered £2m as well! Losers!

  • I can't see why any player would want to go there after last season! With Kean still in charge they'll be closer to relegation than promotion.. Not saying they will be relegated, they have strong enough players still to avoid that, but they have nothing special to get them back up to the PL.

  • What happened to Formica? Rochina will get goals in the championship and can play a bit too. Think Goodwillie should be given a chance as a backup. Was surprising to see u go down, keep Steve keep faith and I think u can bounceback like Newcastle did.

  • Well I suppose they could always reunite Sutton & Shearer, even at their age they are probably better than most on Blackburn's books...

  • They need another 2 strikers? I admit ignorance to how good they all are but aside from Best they already have 6 listed forwards Rochina, Blackman, Goodwillie, Gomes, Slew & Junior.

    Goodwillie can be a potent goal scorer but always thought he'd struggle trying to establish himself in the PL. Give him a run in the Championship though and think he'll get up to speed once his confidence is up.

  • Hopefully we dont panic buy & end up with another Grabbi on our hands. Get 1 or 2 in on loan. Goodwillie should be given a chance to prove himself in the championship.

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