BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness will pull out all the stops in his quest to sign a new striker before the transfer deadline.

Rovers are facing a race against time in their battle to bolster their striking resources.

But chief executive John Williams is still hopeful they can get a new face in and Huddersfield's £1million-rated forward, Jonathan Stead, is one of a number of targets on the list.

"We've got two or three days to bring a striker in and we'll be working on it all day today," said Williams.

Souness desperately wants to beef-up his attacking options in preparation for a relegation fight.

But time is against the club as the deadline for signing international players is noon tomorrow.

If the club targeted someone like Stead, who is already based in England, then they would get a few days' grace as the deadline for domestic deals is noon on Monday.

Rovers have already been rebuffed in their attempts to sign American international Brian McBride and Canadian hit-man Radzinski.

And they have also denied having any interest in Rangers forward Michael Mols.

Now Stead has emerged as the latest name to be linked with a move to Ewood but Souness would have to cough up around £1 million to lure him from the Terriers.

Williams pulled out of a scheduled meeting with his Premier League counterparts today to focus all his efforts on the transfer front.

But he knows he will have to work quickly as a large chunk of tomorrow will be taken up by the club's AGM.

Rovers have also inquired about Parma's Australian midfielder, Mark Bresciano, but the 23-year-old rejected their overtures.

In the meantime, new signing Michael Gray has warned Chelsea that Rovers are ready for a fight this weekend.

Gray is in line to make his debut against Claudio Ranieri's title-chasers on Sunday after joining Rovers on a free.

And the former England international has no intention of suffering the ignominy of relegation for a second successive season after he was part of the Sunderland side which went down last May.

"Of course it was disappointing to be relegated with Sunderland last season, my hometown club -- but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there," said Gray.

"Right now I'm looking forward to more great times with Blackburn.

"It's a new challenge. I've only been at one club before, apart from my loan spell at Celtic.

"But I have seen Rovers on TV and played against them a few times and I know what quality players are here.

"There is no question we can climb up the table."

The 29-year-old put pen to paper on a two and a half year deal earlier this week after Rovers agreed to take over the length of his contract.

And Graeme Souness's latest signing is delighted to be back in the top-flight again.

"The move happened very quickly and I jumped at the chance to play in the Premiership again at a great club."

Meanwhile, former Blackburn favourite Damien Duff could be struggling to make Sunday's clash at Ewood.

The Chelsea winger is currently nursing a calf injury and is rated as doubtful for the game against his old club.

Rovers' FA Youth Cup tie against West Brom at Morecambe's Christie Park was postponed last night due to the bad weather.