BLACKBURN Rovers are continuing to run the rule over defender Jordan Spence – as strikers Ruben Rochina and Leon Best move closer to the Ewood Park exit door.

Spence, a free agent after his contract expired at West Ham United, will this week be given another chance to impress Gary Bowyer.

But Rovers boss Bowyer has confirmed he is unlikely to sign Carlos Cuellar, who has been training at the club, and Jamie Ashdown, who has been on trial.

Defender Cuellar is no longer at Brockhall while goalkeeper Ashdown is in talks with another club.

Also on their way out of Rovers are Rochina and Best.

Rochina passed a medical with Granada yesterday ahead of his proposed switch to the La Liga outfit.

The 23-year-old is expected to put pen to paper on a four-year contract in the next couple of days.

Rovers, meanwhile, are in talks with Championship rivals Derby County over a loan move for the transfer-listed Best.

It is still unclear whether it will be a six-month loan or a season-long loan or what percentage of the 27-year-old’s hefty wages the Rams will be paying.

But reports from the East Midlands this morning sugggest it will be a season-long loan.

Bowyer said: “Ruben is out there in Spain but it’s a case of always waiting to see until it’s actually done.

“And with the Leon situation, we’ve got to keep monitoring that.”

Bowyer, whose side yesterday rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City, also cleared up the immediate futures of former Sunderland and Aston Villa man Cuellar and trialists Spence and Ashdown.

He said: “Jordan Spence is still here, Carlos was just training with us and now he’s not training with us, while Jamie Ashdown was subject to an offer from another club and I think he’s gone to try and sort that out.

“We’re not blessed with many defenders and it’s been a good opportunity for us to have a look at Jordan.

“He’s been up all week and we need to see him in another game. Hopefully we can get that sorted and take it from there.”

Spence, 24, played right back and centre back for Rovers in a behind-closed-doors clash last week.

And Bowyer would like to strengthen his defensive options before the transfer window shuts on September 1.

But he added: “We could do with some numbers because the ones in the squad at this moment in time, the likes of Yann Songo’o and Jack O’Connell, haven’t got Championship experience, although they’ve got potential, that’s for sure.

“So we just feel we could do with some experienced ones with Championship knowledge.

“But I fully understand the position of the club with Financial Fair Play. It’ll be a case of sitting down with the board and the owners and seeing how we can be competitive.

“If we have to go with what we’ve got, that’s what we’ll do, and with the quality that’s in the squad now, I’d be happy with that.”

Bowyer expects Ben Marshall and Rudy Gestede, who have been suffering from illness, to be fit for Friday’s big season opener at home to Cardiff City.

Summer signing Chris Brown, who has not featured in pre-season because of a knee injury, returned to training on Saturday.