BLACKBURN Rovers were last night handed a cash windfall after their former star Steven Nzonzi completed a big money to La Liga.

Nzozni has signed for Europa League champions Sevilla in a deal reportedly worth £7m to Stoke City.

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And if that figure is correct Rovers are initially expected to net between £450,000 and £600,000 after they included a sell-on clause entitling them to 15 per cent of any profit Stoke made on the Frenchman.

Nzonzi swapped Ewood Park for the Britannia Stadium in August 2012 after three seasons and five goals in 96 games in the blue and white halved shirt.

At the time it was reported that Rovers had sold the midfielder to Stoke for £3m.

However it is understood that, after other clauses were activated, the fee the Potters eventually paid stands closer to £4m.

But, whatever the final figure Rovers will receive from the sell-on, it will come as a boost as they continue to cut costs in an effort to fall in line with Financial Fair Play regulations.

The club, which is currently under an FFP embargo, has lost 12 first-team players with first-team experience since the end of last season.

Alex Baptiste, Jay Spearing and Paul Taylor have saw their loans ended, Paul Robinson, David Dunn, Luke Varney, Paulo Jorge and Yann Songo’o have been released, Josh King turned down a new contract to sign for Bournemouth, Josh Morris was allowed to move on a free transfer to Bradford City, Tom Cairney was sold to Fulham in a £3m-plus deal, and this week Leon Best came to a mutual agreement over the final 12 months of his contract.

Varney yesterday said he turned down the chance to stay at Rovers, before his release was confirmed, in order to win a permanent deal at Ipswich Town.

The striker spent the final three months of last season on loan at Championship rivals Ipswich.

But his hopes of helping the Tractor Boys into the play-off final were dashed after he ruptured his Achilles in their play-off semi-final first leg against Norwich City.

Varney underwent an operation on the injury but instead of taking up an offer from the Professional Footballers’ Association to continue his rehabilitation at St George’s Park in Staffordshire, near where his family are based, the 32-year-old instead chose to remain close to Portman Road.

“There were discussions going on with Blackburn,” Varney told BBC Radio Suffolk.

“I think they were going to offer me something but I made it clear to the manager I wasn’t going to return even if they were to offer me any sort of wage.

“I still would have stuck with Ipswich because I’ve enjoyed my time here and am desperate to get back playing.

“People say I’m here to do my rehab but I want to put the shirt back on.”

Rovers have negotiated sell-on clauses for Cairney and Morris and will go to a tribunal to decide the fee Bournemouth will pay for King.