STRIKER Tom Lawrence has left Blackburn Rovers and is now expected to sign on loan for Championship rivals Cardiff City.

Rovers boss Paul Lambert confirmed after Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round 3-0 win at Oxford United that Lawrence’s loan from Leicester City would not be extended.

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At the start of the month Lambert had agreed a deal with the Premier League leaders for the Wales international to remain at Ewood Park for the rest of the season.

But, on the advice of his representatives, instead the 22-year-old’s initial loan was extended by a further four weeks.

It ran out yesterday and Lawrence, who came on as a second-half substitute against Oxford for goalscoring debutant Tony Watt, is now understood to be joining Cardiff.

Lambert said: “Tom is going back. As I said at the time it was always going to be a dangerous thing because his agent wanted this one-month thing. It was never going to work.

“Tom wants to exercise it, he’s got the Euros to think of, and he’s probably seen Tony come in and thought maybe that’s his chance gone.

“But credit to him for the way he played when he came on and he goes away with big thanks from ourselves because he gave us everything and that’s testament to himself.”

Lawrence scored two goals in 23 appearances for Rovers.