SAM Allardyce admits he is taking a ‘gamble on youth’ as Blackburn Rovers fight to get a work permit for Croatian ace Nikola Kalinic.

An ‘agreement in principle’ is already believed to have been struck between Hadjuk Split and Rovers for the 6ft 2ins striker – leaving his final fate in the hands of a work permit appeal court later this week.

The 21-year-old has agreed personal terms with the Ewood Park outfit, with a £6million deal now believed to be ready to signed, and Kalinic was even at Hillsborough to watch Rovers’ 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

But work permit regulations state a player outside the EU has to have played 75 per cent of his country’s games over the last two years to automatically qualify, leaving promising youngsters like Kalinic at a disadvantage.

Rovers though will take Kalinic’s case to an appeal court later this week and, with Croatian boss Slaven Bilic, who has already described him as ‘the future’, expected to speak up for the striker, the club are hopeful they will land his signature.

Chelsea’s 20-year-old Argentine striker Franco Di Santo is another striker expected to complete a move to East Lancashire this week, on a season-long loan deal, with Allardyce excited by the youthful potential.

He said: “We are trying the best we can. It is a bit of a gamble for me but I am willing to put my neck on the line for young, up and coming quality players.

“Because I think this squad needs it. I don’t think we need all experienced players, I think we have enough of those in the camp already.

"Players who can hold the club in good stead this season.

“I think we need some young vibrant, fresh blood coming in, who are bursting at the seams to challenge the players already here and to challenge on a daily basis and to increase the quality of the side overall.

“Albeit it might not be from the very, very start but later on as the season goes on or even into next season.”

Allardyce though is refusing to get carried away by the ‘transfer speculation’, warning nothing is sealed until the players have actually signed and arrive at Ewood.

“I certainly hope by the middle of next week we have two strikers signed up,” said Allardyce. “One won’t be enough for me, I want two.

“We are still waiting for an answer. We will keep our fingers crossed but like everything else it is still all speculation and we still lie in the fact that until we have got people signed on the dotted line, we are still at the risk of losing the hard work we have done.

“I am not wanting to be starting again by the end of next week.”