GAME

SHEFKI Kuqi will find out next week if he's sealed a dream move to the Premiership with Blackburn Rovers.

Ewood chief Mark Hughes is currently mulling over a number of options in his quest to beef up Rovers' striking options and I can reveal he may even consider bringing in three new faces up front this summer.

Rovers have already opened talks with Kuqi's advisers about the possibility of signing the 28-year-old on a free transfer.

If that deal goes through then Hughes will look to bring in at least one more new striker - and possibly even two - as he searches for the right blend in attack.

However, Besiktas forward Jon Carew is no longer thought to be on the Welshman's hit-list, despite speculation to the contrary, even though they DID make a tentative enquiry about him earlier in the summer.

With money tight at Ewood, Hughes can't afford to waste a single penny in the transfer market, which is why he's taking his time over getting the right men.

Rovers' chief executive John Williams said today: "We are casting our net far and wide in the search for players because it's important that we get the people in who are right for this club.

"We've got a lot of balls in the air at the moment and we are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to strengthen the squad."

Meanwhile, Australia's Confederations Cup campaign came to a dismal end in Germany last night when they lost 2-0 to Tunisia.

That defeat meant the Socceroos finished bottom of their group, which was good news for Rovers as it means Brett Emerton and Lucas Neill will now get an extra week's rest.