London, Jan. 30 : Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce wants Portsmouth and England striker Peter Crouch to fill in the boots of Roque Santa Cruz - and is ready to make a record 10 million pound offer.

Allardyce has chased Crouch for years, but has finally been given the chance to make a proper move for him as Tottenham and Manchester City push up the bidding for Santa Cruz to 20 million pounds, the Daily Mirror reports.

The Rovers chief has already made initial soundings about Crouch and is looking at ways of landing him from cash-conscious Portsmouth and paying his king-size wages.

Crouch joined Portsmouth from Liverpool for nine million pounds but that was before owner Sacha Gayadamak decided to look for a new buyer and started selling players.

Allardyce had been bidding for European strikers at around five to six million pounds, based on a lower budget. But the extra money from Santa Cruz''s sale puts him into the hunt for Crouch. (ANI)