MARTIN Olsson has completed his move to Norwich City – but Blackburn Rovers still want to retain Ruben Rochina.
Olsson has put pen to paper on a four-year deal to join Norwich for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £2.5m, and follows fellow big earners Nuno Gomes and Danny Murphy out of the Ewood Park exit door in a summer of change at Rovers.
Reports in Spain now claim that Elche, newly promoted to La Liga, want to sign Rochina on loan with a view to a permanent deal.
The 22-year-old travelled with the Rovers squad this week for their pre-season training camp in Portugal, and officials at Ewood Park insisted that Rochina remained in their plans.
Gary Bowyer spoke to the Spaniard early in the summer to stress that he saw Rochina as a key part of his squad for the new campaign.
Rochina spent the second half of last season with Zaragoza and did not rule out a summer return to Spain during an interview in his homeland.
He stressed he was willing to return to Rovers but admitted he could be tempted by the chance to play in the top flight, either in Spain or England.
The opportunity to join Elche could still be of interest to Rochina, with the Spanish side said to be hoping to pursue a move before the end of the week.
Olsson’s exit comes after the Swede made it clear that he wanted to return to the Premier League.
The funds from the sale could now potentially be used to press ahead with a deal for Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing, although Rovers could also look for a left back as a replacement for Olsson.
Rovers want to sign Spearing but talks with Liverpool have so far only been on an informal basis.
The 24-year-old would also require some persuasion, with his sights set on joining a Premier League club. There is understood to have been tentative interest from the top flight, but no bids.
Meanwhile, Burnley were last night attempting to complete a deal to sign David Jones, who had been a Rovers target after a loan spell last season but fell below Luke Murphy, who joined Leeds, and Spearing on their list of priorities.
More players could still leave Rovers this summer, with Gael Givet’s future uncertain and Mauro Formica continuing to search for a club after failing a medical at Abu Dhabi side Bani Yas last week.
A court case continued yesterday over agent Mark Donaghy’s claim of £400,000 against David Goodwillie, currently on loan from Rovers to Dundee United.
Goodwillie’s former agent claims he was cut out of the player’s move to Rovers in 2011, but the striker contests that.
Mr Donaghy’s lawyers said the financial aspects of the deal were discussed at a Burger King restaurant near Stirling.
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