BLACKBURN Rovers striker Nicola Kalinic has NOT travelled with the rest of the squad to Hong Kong.

Rovers flew out on two planes ahead of the prestigious Premier League trophy, with their first match of the four-team tournament against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The unsettled Croatian did arrive at the airport and was scheduled to travel on the second flight but appears to have changed his mind.

The Rovers management were already on the first plane by then and therefore unaware Kalinic had opted out of the trip until they had landed.

Kalinic had hoped a move to Ukraine outfit Dnipro could have been completed this week after telling Rovers of his intention to leave this summer but talks were at a stalemate.

The 23-year-old is desperate to seek a new challenge elsewhere due to limited first team opportunities but Rovers’ owners have been holding out for a transfer fee of more than £6m.

Sources close to the striker had insisted he will continue trying hard to prove himself at Ewood Park but that he believes he will be left on the fringes of things for as long as he stays at Rovers.

Rovers boss Steve Kean has told Kalinic he still has a chance to earn regular football this campaign but, as he continues his search for a new striker, the former Hajduk man is not convinced.