BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer is determined to add to his squad before the big Championship opener at home to Wolves on Saturday.

But Bowyer is staying coy on speculation that Rovers are the favourites to sign outgoing Cardiff City striker Adam Le Fondre, who is now on the verge of signing for Wolves.

The Ewood Park outfit have further scope to bolster their ranks after the departures of Rudy Gestede and Jake Kean.

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And Bowyer, who will be without Chris Taylor for up to a month after the midfielder underwent a groin operation, has declared they will work ‘tirelessly’ to do that this week.

He said: “We certainly need to get more bodies into the building.

“That’s something we’re working tirelessly on and that’s something we need to try and make inroads into this week.

“And if we don’t do that then it won’t be through a lack of trying.”

Before Rovers rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 home win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday reports emerged that they were leading the chase for Le Fondre.

Bowyer is an admirer of the 28-year-old who scored eight goals in 17 appearances during a spell on loan at Bolton Wanderers in the second half of last season.

But when asked to comment on the reports Bowyer said: “There are loads of players that we’re getting linked with and some of them we haven’t got a clue where the link comes from.

“Adam was on loan at Bolton and now he’s still a Cardiff player so, at this moment in time, there’s nothing in that from our end.”

Rovers are currently under an embargo after failing Financial Fair Play.

That means the only way they could sign Le Fondre, who is also said to be interesting Sheffield Wednesday, is on loan or if the Bluebirds released him from the final two years of his contract.

But Cardiff boss Russell Slade has confirmed that the Stockport-born frontman is on his way out.

Slade said: “There is likely to be movement next week and there is a chance it is a club up north showing strong interest.

“From the player’s point of view he is desperate to sign for the right club in the right geographical area.”

Rovers managing director Derek Shaw last week told the Lancashire Telegraph that the club is getting ‘nearer and nearer’ to having its embargo lifted after striker Rudy Gestede was sold to Aston Villa for a straight £6m fee.

Bowyer, meanwhile, was tight-lipped on the futures of trialists Danny Guthrie and Nathan Delfouneso after the Wigan victory.

Bowyer, who will also continue to run the rule over Nicky Maynard, despite the striker coming off against the Latics with a tight hamstring, said: “We’ll assess over the weekend where we go with one or two of them and take it from there.”

It is understood that Guthrie, who has impressed staff and players alike at Brockhall, is in line to win a permanent deal.