NORWEGIAN international Tore Pedersen, currently with Hamburg club St Pauli, is being put under the spotlight by Blackburn Rovers.

The 27-year-old much-capped defender is spending a few days with Rovers and training at Brockhall with a view to a possible deal.

His German club have agreed that he can go, as they lost their Bundesliga place at the end of last season and are looking to offload their foreign international stars.

There's no question of Pedersen being available on a free transfer but St Pauli, who finished bottom of the Bundesliga with only 27 points last season, are willing to let him move on.

He is well known to Ewood star Stephane Henchoz, who came from St Pauli's city rivals Hamburg, and also to Lars Bohinen, who has played with Pedersen in the Norwegian national side.

"It's a good opportunity for us to take a look at him and for the player to have a look at us," said Rovers boss Roy Hodgson.

"He has a good pedigree with plenty of experience. "Having been relegated, St Pauli have accepted they cannot hold on to players like him and will be looking to get some money back."

Prior to joining the German club, where he has spent the past three years, Pedersen played for Gothenburg and also had a spell in Japan.

It's an ideal chance for Rovers to study the Norwegian at close range before they make any decision whether or not to buy him.

Having let defenders such as Henning Berg, Nicky Marker and Graeme Le Saux move, there are vacancies in the squad.

And Birmingham City are being strongly linked with a move for other Ewood players, Republic of Ireland intenational Jeff Kenna and full back Gary Croft.

Hodgson is clearly intent on rebuilding the Ewood squad but he will hope to do it steadily, rather than have wholesale change too quickly. Henning Berg, Nicky Marker and Graeme Le Saux move, there are vacancies in the squad.

And Birmingham City are being strongly linked with a move for other Ewood players, Republic of Ireland intenational Jeff Kenna and full back Gary Croft.

Hodgson is clearly intent on rebuilding the Ewood squad but he will hope to do it steadily, rather than have wholesale change too quickly.

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