Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce would love to bring Ruud van Nistelrooy to Ewood Park - but has ruled out a move for `injury-prone' Michael Owen.

The Rovers boss is in desperate need of striking reinforcements after Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire both left the Lancashire club this month.

He has immediately set his sights on an ambitious move for Van Nistelrooy, who is set to be one of several Dutch victims of Real Madrid's unprecedented spending spree.

And, just as when he persuaded Nicolas Anelka to join former club Bolton, Allardyce sees no reason why a deal could not be done - assuming the ex-Manchester United frontman is willing to take a pay cut in exchange for regular football.

"Who'd have thought Bolton would get Nicolas Anelka? Nobody did. But I went out and did it," Allardyce said.

"It would be nice to do it with a Van Nistelrooy but I need a striker that's going to be available for 30 games next season. That's not happened for Michael over the last four years."