OUT-OF-FAVOUR Blackburn Rovers forward Leon Best is attracting interest from Championship rivals Charlton Athletic.

Best was the subject of a last-minute enquiry from Crystal Palace on the final day of the January window but they were unable to complete a deal.

But Palace’s neighbours Charlton could yet move for the Republic of Ireland international. The window for loan signings reopened on Saturday and it is understood that Best is high on Addicks boss Chris Powell’s wish list.

Powell lost top scorer Yann Kermorgant to Bournemouth on deadline day and he is keen to replace him with another experienced targetman. Rovers would be open to any Charlton bid for Best, who is one of the club’s highest earners.

But as of yet the struggling Addicks have not made an official approach. But one club that was interested in Best, who has not played for Rovers in nearly four months, is Premier League side Palace.

The Eagles completed the signing of Scott Dann from Rovers on transfer deadline day and it is understood they got back in touch with their Ewood Park counterparts – 45 minutes before the window slammed shut – to try and tie up a deal for Best.

Eagles co-chairman Steve Parish said of Best: “We had a look. We couldn’t get a deal on that, so it didn’t happen, but we definitely had a look at him, the manager was interested.”

It is unclear whether Palace will return with a bid for Best once the transfer window for Premier League clubs reopens in the summer.

Dann made his Palace debut in their 3-1 home win over West Brom on Saturday playing the full 90 minutes.

The deal was completed late on deadline day and could be worth up to £4m for Rovers.

And Dann has revealed that there was long-standing interest from the Eagles, as revealed by the Lancashire Telegraph in early January.

Dann said: “There were a couple of teams interested but I knew about the Palace situation from earlier in the window.

“I spoke to someone at Blackburn who pulled me aside and said a bid had gone in earlier in the window but until something is accepted you just have to get on with the job.

“That’s what I did. I was just waiting. In the end they agreed a fee and I got permission to talk to Palace.”