BLACKBURN Rovers’ pursuit of Celtic defender Efe Ambrose has ended after his work permit application was turned down.

Rovers had made a deadline day loan move for the 28-year-old Nigerian and he been training with the club ever since.

However, he is now back with parent club Celtic, and won’t be signing for Rovers this season after he was denied a work permit.

“Not this year, no,”  head coach Tony Mowbray said of a move for Ambrose.

“The club has worked very hard behind the scenes to try and make it happen, but it’s not going to be happening.

“I spoke to the boy, I enjoyed his company as a football guy, he understood the situation and percentage wise it proved very difficult for us to get a work permit for him.

“It could have taken five, six or seven weeks which would have taken a lot of games out.

“Whether we adress that later on we will wait and see.”

Previous manager Owen Coyle had been looking to strengthen his defensive ranks during the January transfer window, with Rovers trying to force through a move for Ambrose hours before the January 31 deadline.

But despite spending almost a month training with the Rovers first-team, Ambrose has now returned north of the border.

The defender had previously been frozen out of the action at Parkhead, featuring just twice this season, and had been looking to resurrect his career with a move to Ewood Park.

But with Tommie Hoban and Elliott Ward nearing comeback from their respective long-term injuries, Mowbray feels Rovers are now well covered in central defence.

He added: “I think we’re ok in that position.

“There are one two that are flexible and could play in that position so we’re reasonably comfortable.”