STEVE Kean insists nothing should be read into the absence of Rovers' in-demand stars on Saturday – as he looks to add new faces before Fulham's weekend Premier League visit.

Chris Samba, Yakubu and Junior Hoilett are all attracting interest from rival clubs this month but, despite the trio not playing in the 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat at Newcastle, Kean is adamant there was nothing sinister in their exclusion.

The Rovers boss also revealed he was “hopeful” of freshening the squad up in time for Fulham's Ewood visit on Saturday as he now focuses everything on guiding his side out of the relegation mire.

Rovers rejected a derisory £5million bid for Samba from QPR on Friday but his exclusion from Saturday’s squad sparked further speculation about the skipper’s future, with Tottenham Hotspur also seriously interested in the defender and will attempt to tempt Rovers into sale with player plus cash offers.

Kean though revealed Samba’s absence was due to a tight hamstring and ankle injury and that, along with the sought after Yakubu, both would still be at Ewood next month.

Bolton Wanderers are understood to be the first club this month to voice real interest in contract rebel Junior Hoilett, who is still struggling with a hamstring injury.

The Lancashire Telegraph understand the Canadian winger would not be tempted by a move to Rovers' fellow Premier League strugglers and will remain at Ewood until the summer unless a more attractive switch is available to him.

Kean said: “The message is simple. The Yak is our player, he is performing very well, he has done fantastic for us, he is not for sale. He is very happy, he is carrying a couple of knocks so we rested him for next week.

“Chris Samba was having treatment on an ankle injury and a tight hamstring so that was why he did not travel. Nothing to do with the bid.

“He is our player and we want to keep him at the club. I felt as though he was getting a good partnership with Scott Dann before he got injured and we want to add to the squad not break it up.

“He is not for sale. He is seven or eight months into a five year contract. He is a defender we feel has a presence in both boxes. He has held us together at times and is a big part of what we are trying to do in the future.

“Junior is not fit. The medical team are saying if we risked him it could put him back.”

Kean's transfer kitty will be severely limited this month unless he sells one of his current stars, with loan arrivals the most likely scenario.

But Bosnian free agent Zlatan Muslimovic is understood to be a possible target for Rovers, having left Greek top flight side PAOK last summer.

QPR defender Bradley Orr and Reading winger Jimmy Kebe are understood to be a long list of possible targets, while reports in Stoke suggest striker Ricardo Fuller is also on the radar.

Meanwhile Kean was hoping to speak to several candidates for the vacant assistant manager's role at Ewood Park this week.