BLACKBURN Rovers are lining up a deal for Doncaster striker Chris Brown.

The Rovers coaching team have been long-term admirers of the 29-year-old.

And yesterday new Doncaster owner John Ryan, who has taken over the League One outfit along with One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, said the Ewood Park outfit have offered a contract to Brown.

It is understood that the 6ft 3in targetman is available on a free transfer after Doncaster’s relegation from the Championship.

Brown is contracted to Paul Dickov’s side for another year but the Doncaster boss can do nothing to prevent his star man from leaving as it is believed his contract contains a relegation clause allowing him to leave for nothing.

Losing Brown, whose wages have been cut by 50 per cent as a result of Donny’s demotion, would be a massive blow to former Rovers striker Dickov.

Brown was the convincing winner of Doncaster’s player of the year award after scoring nine goals in 43 appearances last season.

And it was his performance in his team’s 2-0 home win over Rovers in August that really caught the attention of Gary Bowyer and his staff.

Brown, who counts Sunderland, Preston North End and Norwich City among his former clubs, was excellent that night.

And his display is understood to have gone a long way to convincing Rovers boss Bowyer that he needed a big forward to complement top scorer Jordan Rhodes.

That eventually led Bowyer to signing Rudy Gestede from Cardiff City in November.

And if Brown does sign for Rovers he would provide competition for fans’ favourite Gestede.

Rovers are not the only Championship side interested in Brown.

But new Donny owner Ryan reckons Rovers have stole a march on their rivals by offering the powerful forward a £10,000 per week contract.

Ryan said: “Chris Brown has been offered 10 grand a week by Blackburn, you can’t compete with that.”

When asked whether Brown would be signing for Rovers and whether the figures Ryan had stated were correct, Derek Shaw refused to comment ‘on speculation’.

But Rovers managing director Shaw did add the club were working hard to bolster their squad.

That follows Bowyer’s assertion earlier this week that his moves in the market were ‘starting to hot up’.

Bowyer is set to sign versatile striker Luke Varney when his contract at Leeds United expires at the end of the month.

He also wants a right back but it is understood that Crystal Palace’s Jack Hunt, at this moment in time, is not a target.

Centre back Louis Laing, meanwhile, has joined Nottingham Forest.

The 21-year-old spent time on trial at Rovers at the end of the season following his release from Sunderland.

He then went on trial at Manchester United.