THE CHASE is hotting up for Blackburn striker Nathan Blake -- but Rovers are still waiting to see some cash on the table.

Crystal Palace have been joined in the hunt for the Welsh international by another First Division club, thought to be Coventry City.

The Sky Blues are short of firepower as they look to win an instant return to the Premiership.

John Hartson is set to leave Highfield Road and John Aloisi is poised to complete his move to Spanish side Osasuna.

And while boss Gordon Strachan has signed Aston Villa's Julian Joachim he may also be keen on Blake, a player Coventry tried to sign before he left Bolton to join Rovers in October, 1998.

However, Rovers are yet to sanction any possible deal or give Blake the go-ahead to open talks while there has been no acceptable bid for the 29-year-old. "We have had two enquiries but that's not unusual and they are very often by third parties.

"We have had one enquiry from club to club but we have not had a firm offer," confirmed chief executive John Williams.

Blake looks set to move on in a bid to secure first-team football and safeguard his international future.

However, he still has two years to run on his existing Ewood Park deal and despite being tipped to leave 12 months ago, the former Sheffield United front man won a reprieve from Graeme Souness and scored his share of goals in an injury-hit season.