BLACKBURN Rovers have opted to search for a more experienced striker after ending their interest in Robert Lewandowski as the Pole closes in on a move to Borussia Dortmund.

Rovers had been tracking Lewandowski for some time but decided not to make an offer for the 21-year-old Lech Poznan forward because of his lack of experience at the top level.

Sam Allardyce is now understood to have turned his attention elsewhere, with Lyon’s Frederic Piquionne – on loan at Portsmouth this season – among the main targets.

Lewandowski had been invited to Ewood Park to watch last month’s home game against Everton but that plan was scuppered by the volcanic ash cloud.

Italian side Genoa were also in the race but it now seems the 21-year-old Polish international has chosen to move to Dortmund after passing a medical with the German giants, who can offer Europa League football.

The transfer is yet to be completed though, with some details of the deal with Poznan – reported to be 4.5m Euros – yet to be finalised.

Rovers had held a firm interest in the striker but will not revive their interest after deciding that signing another inexperienced forward – as they did when they purchased Nikola Kalinic from Hajduk Split last summer – would represent too great a gamble. Lech Poznan’s asking price was also an issue.

Piquionne has a season of Premier League experience under his belt after scoring 11 goals in 46 games on loan at Portsmouth.

The 31-year-old, who has one cap for France, is currently on Lyon’s books but is well down the pecking order at the Stade Gerland.

Aruna Dindane is another striker that Allardyce has held an interest in but the list of clubs to be linked with the Ivorian continues to grow, with Qatar now reported to be a possible destination for the 29-year-old – on loan at Portsmouth from Lens this season.

Rovers are keen to bring in a senior striker to ease the burden on Kalinic, who could be recalled to Lancashire in the next few days for a medical check-up after suffering a thigh strain in action for Croatia’s under 21s against Slovakia in midweek.

The club are in contact with Croatia’s medical team to determine whether the striker needs to be flown back to England for a scan, but the injury is not thought to be too serious.

One striker departing Ewood, Franco Di Santo, has admitted that he was surprised not to feature more in the second half of the season after extended his loan from Chelsea at Christmas.

The Argentinian lost his place in the team after scoring only one goal for the club, having been used mostly as a lone striker.

But the 20-year-old, who will now return to Stamford Bridge, told an Argentinian newspaper that he felt a lack of service had limited his strike threat and was puzzled by his omission in the final months of the campaign, which he says left Chelsea ‘angry’.

Former Rovers defender Andre Ooijer, 35, who is in the Netherlands’ provisional squad for this summer’s World Cup, has also spoken of his frustration after being released by PSV Eindhoven after only one season back at the club.

● Rovers youngsters Gavin Gunning and Marcus Marshall will represent loan club Rotherham at Wembley on May 30 after helping the Millers to the League Two play-off final.

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