Salgado seeks Galaxy role as Rovers look to offload high earners

Michel Salgado is looking for a move away from Blackburn (Getty)

The Blackburn Rovers defender Michel Salgado was in the United States yesterday, seeking a role at LA Galaxy, six weeks after claiming that he was being denied a game at Ewood Park because nine more appearances would entitle him to a new contract.

Salgado has been listed in Rovers' 25-man squad following the closure of the January transfer window but The Independent understands that the 36-year-old former Real Madrid defender has given up on playing for Steve Kean's team again. Despite declaring himself fit last month, he was given five days off and has not appeared since Blackburn's defeat at Sunderland on 21 December. His effective removal from Ewood Park is part of the club owners' desire to remove higher-earning players from the squad.

The Independent revealed last month that Anuradha Desai, the matriarch of the family who control the owner of Rovers, Venky's, took over the club convinced that an annual working capital injection of £3m to £5m would be enough.

Ryan Nelsen, whose £65,000-a-week contract was ripped up by Rovers before his move to Tottenham Hotspur this week, is understood to be on only a three-month deal at White Hart Lane. He could also leave for the United States at the end of it. The New Zealander had been interested in a move to another Major League Soccer franchise, DC United, though his fitness has become a major problem after five months out through injury and he has played only one game this season.

Nelsen will use his time at White Hart Lane to regain fitness and despite offering defensive cover for Harry Redknapp he may not play for the club before he leaves.

Blackburn's captain, Christopher Samba, may not play for the club again. After a breakdown in relations with the Congolese defender, Kean has left him out of the squad for today's trip to Arsenal. Samba played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Huddersfield Town reserves in midweek.