BLACKBURN Rovers have been handed a midfield fitness boost as Sam Allardyce focuses his transfer search on the replacement of departed striker Roque Santa Cruz.

Rovers’ medical experts have revealed their confidence that last season’s walking wounded will return to full fitness this summer, leaving Allardyce content with his options in the centre of the park.

French youth international Stephen N’Zonzi is likely to be brought to Ewood Park this summer from Amiens for around £400,000, as one for the future, but despite being linked with countless other central midfielders in the national media Rovers are not making strengthening in that position a priority.

Steven Reid missed most of last season after knee surgery, while injuries to David Dunn and Brett Emerton also severely limited Rovers’ midfield strength last campaign.

The trio though are now understood to have made significant strides in their rehabilitation, after extensive work during the close season, and should provide more than enough competition for the coming season.

Allardyce’s expected £13million transfer kitty is more likely to be utilised in the addition of one senior striker after Santa Cruz’s move to Manchester City earlier this week.

The Rovers boss returned from holiday yesterday to step up his search for more fire power, although Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch will not be the answer due to probable high wage demands.

Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo is another suggested target unlikely to be coming to Ewood Park, although Stoke’s move for Dean Ashton could revive Allardyce’s interest in Potters front man James Beattie.

Chelsea’s Argentinean youngster Franco Di Santo is still in line for a season-long loan move to Rovers, although any deal will have to wait until further into pre-season as the striker initially tours America with the Blues.

Di Santo’s arrival would throw into doubt Paul Gallagher’s Rovers career with the club’s bid to run a wage bill catering for two players for every position.

The home-grown striker will get his chance to impress in pre-season first though before Allardyce seals a move for Di Santo as Rovers make sure their wage bill returns to a more manageable total.

The departure of Tugay, Santa Cruz, Aaron Mokoena, Carlos Villanueva, Danny Simpson and Andre Ooijer has already eased last season’s financial pressures - with Rovers now confident, bar the forward line, they have two players for every position.

Defensive midfielder N’Zonzi, 20, though is still being targeted, with some dubbing him the new Patrick Vieira, but if Allardyce feels he needs more quality in his squad, current players will have to depart first to keep the wage bill at a manageable level.