It looks like Blackburn will just miss out on a European place this season. In eighth place currently, the Ewood Park team need a variety of results to go their way in order to even get the chance of an Intertoto Cup place.

Many fans and football pundits have highlighted that the likes of Roque Santa Cruz and David Bentley may search for European glory with other clubs during the summer transfer market, highlighting the need for Blackburn to spend wisely and bring in a collection of experience and youth if these players do indeed decide to leave - and the money offered is too good for Blackburn to let slip away.

Talk of Manchester United wanting Santa Cruz for £10m and Chelsea eyeing Bentley for £15m shows that manager Mark Hughes could have money to use in the summer, and we have already seen Sparky has an eye for a bargain.

'I would love a player of Johnson's quality to be brought in to add to the team's scoring power'


He may well need a new striker in his team and I would love a player of Andy Johnson's quality to be brought in to add to the team's scoring power. If Santa Cruz stayed, then Johnson would be an ideal partner upfront and both players have shown their goal-scoring capabilities. Johnson would also link up well with crosses from Morten Gamst Pedersen and hopefully Bentley, should he still be there.

Johnson has shown at Crystal Palace and more recently at Everton that he is a key team player and very confident in his abilities. He would be well-liked by the Ewood fans and would get the full support of a brilliant manager in Mark Hughes. Let's hope he wants to leave Everton, though with their UEFA Cup chances looking good for next season, luring anyone from Goodison Park would be difficult.

Manchester United's Paul Scholes would be another brilliant addition to the Rovers side. Although now a veteran in United squad, the likeable midfielder still has the skill and confidence to tackle the best defences with his passing and shooting skills - just look at the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

How long the 'oldies' will stay at Old Trafford is anyone's guess but with Sir Alex Ferguson bringing in youngsters left, right and centre, Scholes may well see his midfield place less certain next season. However, whether he would want to move to a smaller team like Blackburn I am not sure... but I can always dream!

Blackburn are a team that need to constantly look for bargains in the transfer market to help keep them up there with the big boys in the Premier League. They do not have the finances of the larger clubs and so look to buy cheap and sell players at big prices once they have performed; though Hughes has always stated Blackburn are not a selling club.

He is a great manager and I am sure he has his own opinions on who he wants to bring into the squad. I think Johnson and Scholes would be ideal for the team and would fit in well with the current players. Let's just hope Blackburn don't lose their stars and build on the solid 2007/2008 season!