Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has confirmed his admiration in Portsmouth's Ivorian striker Aruna Dindane, and revealed he contemplated making a move for the player during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been criticised for missing some glaring opportunities since arriving at Fratton Park from Lens in the summer, but netted a stunning hat-trick in Pompey's 4-0 demolition of Wigan last weekend.

'Big Sam' knows his side will have to keep the now confident big Ivorian quiet this weekend when the South Coast outfit travel to Ewood Park looking to consolidate on their moral-boosting victory last Saturday.

And the Blackburn boss will be especially keen for Dindane not to prove a point as he admitted he had looked closely into potentially signing the hitman before Paul Hart took a punt on Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast strike partner.

"A lot of us looked at Dindane, we all knew what a good player he was but we were not in a position to risk the situation with the big injury that kept him out for such a long time," Allardyce told Sky Sports News.

"Portsmouth were the ones who took the chance and Portsmouth are the ones who are benefiting from someone who looks like a very, very good striker and who we will have to keep quiet tomorrow."