BLACKBURN Rovers boss Paul Lambert says that Derby County have not made an offer for Markus Olsson.

But there has been no breakthrough in talks to tie Rovers’ reigning player of the year down to a new deal.

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With less than six months remaining on his current contract Olsson is free to open negotiations with overseas clubs.

But the greatest interest shown in the left-back so far has come from Championship rivals Derby.

The big-spending Rams did make an enquiry over Olsson’s availability before Lambert took over the Ewood Park hotseat in November.

But, after that enquiry was rejected, the new Rovers manager has denied that his Derby counterpart Paul Clement has been back in with a January transfer window bid.

Lambert said: “I’ve had nothing. I’ve had no calls, not anything from anybody.

“I know Paul Clement pretty well and I’m pretty sure he would’ve picked up the phone.

“I’d heard before I come in that Derby were looking at Markus but, hearing anything directly, no.

“That’s the problem when you’ve got players who are into the last year of their contracts. They are free to do what they want and use the Bosman ruling if they see fit.

“We’ll just have to wait and see. Markus will make up his own mind. The players holds the ace card when it comes to January and they’re in their last year.”

Rovers have started talks with Olsson, who is fit to face QPR tonight after overcoming illness, and his agent.

The club’s managing director Derek Shaw said: “We’ve talked to Markus’ representative, we’d like to keep him, but so far we’ve not managed come to any agreement.”

Lambert confirmed he would be willing to let midfielder John O’Sullivan out on loan again after his spell at League One Rochdale ended.

But he is not willing to sanction any permanent departures until he has made more additions to his squad.

Lambert remains keen on striker Danny Graham whose chances of leaving Sunderland look set to increase once their former Rovers manager Sam Allardyce completes a loan deal for Hull City’s Dame N’Doye.

But he does not expect to make any further signings before tonight’s match at home to QPR.

“We are working the loan market,” said Lambert, who went on to state Rovers were ‘nowhere near’ being able to afford the £2m fee Bristol City have had accepted for Bolton Wanderers’ Zach Clough.

“There are ones that I’ve been trying to get over the line which have fallen through and there are ones that are hanging around at the minute.

“It’s the same scenario. Premier League clubs are keeping their squads. You saw the FA Cup teams at the weekend. There were a lot of changes and they played lads who have not been playing regularly but who are around and about their first team.

“There are one or two we can try to get in.

“We certainly need to get people in before we even consider letting anybody out.”

Of O’Sullivan, Lambert said: “I’d let him go on loan and John wants to go on loan.

“It’s probably a step up from where he is at the minute to our first team. He’s training okay but I think he needs to get a few games.”