FORMER Blackburn Rovers striker Kevin Davies is extremely unlikely to make a return to Ewood Park this summer.

Speculation in yesterday’s national media claimed that Rovers boss Sam Allardyce – who managed Davies at the Reebok for four years – had identified the Bolton targetman as an ideal replacement for Roque Santa Cruz.

But Blackburn have not made any bid for Davies and the Lancashire Telegraph understands that they are reluctant to make a move due to the frontman’s age.

Although coming off the back of his best ever season at Wanderers, Davies, at 32, is approaching the veteran stage of his career and unlikely to retain any significant resale value over the coming years.

So while Allardyce may hold plenty of affection for his former striker, it is believed that the Blackburn boss is focusing his attention on younger strikers that carry an element of sound business sense.

It was reported that Rovers may have needed to fork out around £5m to prise the striker away from their Lancashire rivals.

But even for that amount of money, it is understood that Bolton have no intention of parting with their influential captain.

After scoring 12 Premier League goals last season, his best return since Allardyce signed Davies from Southampton in 2003, the Trotters value their striker too highly.

It is now over a decade since a younger Davies endured a hugely disappointing season with Rovers.

Joining from Southampton for £7.5million in July 1998 - at the time a club record fee that saw James Beattie head in the opposite direction - the Yorkshire-born forward endured a disastrous time with Blackburn, scoring just one league goal in 24 matches.

He re-joined the Saints the following summer and, after four seasons on the south coast, was snapped up for nothing by Allardyce at Bolton.