STEVE Kean has revealed that Blackburn Rovers are interested in bringing Ruud van Nistelrooy to Ewood Park this summer – two years after Sam Allardyce missed out on the former Manchester United striker.

Van Nistelrooy is a free agent this summer after confirming that he will leave Bundesliga side Hamburg when his contract expires at the end of the season, and the 34-year-old is known to prefer a move back to the Premier League.

Allardyce enquired about bringing Van Nistelrooy to Rovers in 2009, only to quickly drop his interest after finding out that the Dutch forward’s wage demands were beyond the club’s budget at the time.

But Rovers are now backed by poultry giants Venky’s, who have pledged funds to bring a marquee signing to Ewood Park for next season, and Kean says that the club have now joined what is likely to be a hotly contested race to sign Van Nistelrooy.

“Yes, I can confirm we are interested,” said the Rovers boss.

Rovers’ hopes of luring Van Nistelrooy to Lancashire will be dependent on their survival in the Premier League this season, with the club currently only one point ahead of the relegation zone with eight games left to play.

But the club are planning for another season in the top flight and, having missed out on the likes of Ronaldinho and David Beckham in January, Venky’s are ready to provide cash to lure one of the world’s most well-known footballers to Ewood.

Van Nistelrooy would certainly fit into that category, having scored more than 150 goals for Manchester United between 2001 and 2006 as well as starring for Real Madrid and the Netherlands.

He was still a Real Madrid player and on his way back from a serious knee injury when Allardyce enquired two years ago, later moving on to Hamburg last year.

But Van Nistelrooy has now said he will not sign a new contract with Hamburg after they blocked a shock return to Real Madrid when Jose Mourinho came calling in January.

The striker has scored six goals in the Bundesliga this season and has said he would be willing to move to England or Spain, with a place in the Dutch squad for Euro 2012 his target.

Van Nistelrooy has also indicated he would not rule out a move to a big club as a back-up striker and Rovers are likely to face severe competition in their bid to bring him to Ewood.