BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes is scouring the globe in his quest to find a striker in time for the start of next season.

Although Rovers are still not mathematically safe from relegation with seven games of the season remaining, Hughes is already planning for the future and I can reveal he's drawn up a list of five possible targets who he thinks could help boost Rovers' goal-power.

Rovers have struggled for firepower all season and they are the Premiership's lowest scorers having bagged a paltry 25 goals in 31 matches so far this term.

It's no secret Hughes will make the recruitment of a proven goalscorer his top priority once the season is over and he's already started that process in earnest by identifying five potential targets in four different countries across the world.

Paul Dickov and Jonathan Stead have both battled away manfully up front but Hughes is well aware of the need for greater strength in depth and he has been promised cash to bring a new striker into the club.

A Rovers source said: "There's a number of strikers we are looking at and Mark has five or six active targets, but it's a case of waiting to see what happens over the next few months."

Rovers have already been heavily linked with a summer move for Newcastle's out-of-favour striker Craig Bellamy, who is currently on loan at Celtic, and Birmingham's Walter Pandiani may also emerge as a possible target after Hughes narrowly missed out on signing him in January.

One player who isn't on Hughes' shortlist, however, is Anderlecht forward Nenad Jestrovic.

The Serbia & Montenegro international is the top scorer in the Belgian league this season but fancies a move to England in the summer and hinted that he would jump at the chance of joining a club like Rovers.

The 28-year-old said: "I don't know who Blackburn are interested in but I would be happy to play for them or teams like Bolton, Portsmouth and Aston Villa because The Premiership is the best championship in the world.

"I play physical football and I'm strong. They are qualities that will suit the English game and The Premiership is my first option."

As I understand it, though, Hughes is unlikely to make a move for the former Paris St Germain player.