TONY Parkes is looking beyond a pre-deadline transfer market explosion in the Premiership, writes PETER WHITE.

And Ewood's caretaker-boss revealed today that manager-elect Roy Hodgson had already started putting plans in place for a multi-million pound summer spending spree.

Barring a dramatic change in circumstances, Blackburn Rovers will not figure in any more major deals - either in or out - before the March 27 deadline, now just 12 days away.

And that means newspaper talk of a £1m move from First Division QPR for Stuart Ripley is jumping the gun.

But Parkes stressed that the club were spreading the net far and wide - acting on the instructions of the new manager.

"Yes, he has already had a significant input in that respect," said Parkes.

"Although I don't envisage anyone else coming in before the deadline, we are also working for next season as well as this one.

"I am speaking to Roy about various players and it is very important that we do that now, rather than wait until he arrives in summer."

The news that Zvonimir Boban could well be on his way out of AC Milan will no doubt have been noted at Ewood, as well as by several other Premiership clubs.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has dismissed reports that he has launched a £5 million bid for the Croatian international. But the 28-year-old playmaker is one of several stars expected to leave the San Siro, with a major shake-up planned by AC Milan.

And the Premiership is now the place to be.

Several other players have been linked with Rovers, not least in Italy, where Juventus star Attilio Lombardo was the latest to be mentioned.

Lombardo, however, is 31 and, as with others whose names have been suggested in speculation - Inter Milan's Marco Branka for example - it could be a case of Italian clubs just trying to unload.

At one stage, Lombardo was supposed to be joining Sheffield Wednesday before the move broke down over personal terms.

In any case, while Rovers did have a representative at the recent Rosenborg-Juventus clash in the European Cup, Hodgson will already know all about anyone currently playing in Italy.

Rosenborg, who have offloaded stars such as Steffen Iversen and Bjorn Kvarme to the Premiership this season, are always worth a check.

Since signing Per Pedersen from Odense and, with the overall injury situation having improved, however, Parkes is much happier about his resources for the relegation run-in.

"We have players coming back from injury to strengthen the squad and I feel we have enough quality to get us through at the moment," he said.

"Ian Pearce needs a couple more games, Stuart Ripley maybe one more and Graham Fenton is almost ready to come back into contention.

"Hopefully, Chris Sutton will also be ready by the time we go to Middlesbrough.

"That will give us a fairly big squad with10 matches remaining."

Parkes admitted that one telephone call could suddenly change things but he does not anticipate any more major imports for the time being.

"I do think though that there will be a lot of transfer market activity involving Premiership clubs over the next week or so," he said.

"It's the time of year when a lot of clubs will be worrying about leaving themselves short in certain positions."

Parkes wouldn't be surprised either if rival clubs come on to Ewood for some of Rovers' players.

Graeme Le Saux has been the subject of much speculation recently but the caretaker-manager insisted: "We probably won't make another signing now but I can't see anyone leaving either. Our first team players are not for sale."

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