BLACKBURN Rovers’ attempts to sign Kim Bo-Kyung are over after the South Korea star was refused a work permit.

The 25-year-old had agreed personal terms with Rovers and had been training alongside Gary Bowyer’s squad at Brockhall.

But Kim, who is a free agent after turning down a new longer-term contract at Wigan Athletic, will now have to look for a club away from England after he fell victim of the Football Association’s new toughened-up work permit rules.

Rovers knew that the attacking midfielder, who has spent the last three years playing in the Premier League and in the Championship for Cardiff City and Wigan, did not comply with the new rules that were introduced by the FA in May in an attempt to reduce the number of non-EU players in English football.

But such was the Ewood Park outfit’s determination to sign Kim, who featured at the 2010 and 2014 World Cup finals and was part of the South Korea squad which won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games, they put together a detailed case, at no little expense, which was considered by the FA today.

The governing body informed the club late this afternoon that it had been unsuccessful in its appeal for a work permit for the 32-capped international.

The decision will come as a blow to Rovers who had fought off interest from a number of Championship rivals to set up a deal for Kim, who had more lucrative offers to go elsewhere.