Robbie Fowler is poised to return to the Premier League after linking up with Blackburn Rovers for pre-season training. The 33-year-old Fowler scored six goals in 16 games for Cardiff City in a injury-blighted season, after moving to Ninian Park on a free transfer in July last year after his second spell with Liverpool came to an end.
"Late on Thursday Robbie informed us that he has been offered the opportunity to join Blackburn Rovers," read a Cardiff statement. "We fully understand the lure of the Premier League was a major factor in his decision and we wish Robbie well in the future at his new club."
Fowler is set to spend a few weeks training with Rovers, and will accompany the squad on a pre-season trip to Germany. A permanent move to Blackburn would reunite Fowler with his former Liverpool team-mate Paul Ince, who is now the manager at Ewood Park and may be looking to boost his attacking options, with Roque Santa Cruz being linked with a transfer after an impressive debut season with Blackburn.
The Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale said the release of Fowler - who didn't play for the club after December 15 last season because of injury - would free up funds for other forwards to join the Bluebirds.
"We signed him last year with a year's option, but at this stage in his career it's understandable that he accepts an offer to go to the Premiership. His image rights were important to us last year, but now we're looking at what he could do on the field.
"Robbie's move frees up budget for us to look for another striker. We're pretty close to signing a new striker in a deal that I've been working on all week. When that's done we'll look for another front man to take Robbie's place," Ridsdale told BBC Radio Wales.