MARK Hughes has been told to forget about signing Norwich striker Robert Earnshaw as he seeks to replace Craig Bellamy.

The Blackburn boss is in the market for two proven frontmen after Bellamy decided to join Liverpool in a deal worth £6.5 million last week, leaving Shefki Kuqi and Paul Gallagher as the only senior strikers on Rovers' books.

That has prompted speculation about a possible swoop for Earnshaw as the 25-year-old is a player Hughes knows well from his time as the manager of Wales.

But Norwich manager Nigel Worthington is adamant his star striker is going nowhere and he's ready to resist all offers for a player who bagged eight goals in 13 starts following his £2.75 million from West Brom in January.

"I've seen the rumours, but there's been no contact from Blackburn about Robert Earnshaw," said the Canaries chief.

"He's one of the cornerstones we're looking to build things around, and he proved that with the goals he scored in the number of games he played at the end of last season.

"I realise business is business, but I'm looking to add faces to the squad rather than listen to people who want to sign my players."

Earnshaw is one of a number of players who has been considered by Hughes as he scours the globe for the extra firepower needed to mount a charge for Europe.

But as things stand, his name is fairly well down Hughes' hit-list as the Rovers boss continues to weigh up a variety of different options.