BLACKBURN Rovers have now made a formal offer to Canadian starlet Junior Hoilett as the club make every attempt to secure his long term Ewood Park future.
Hoilett’s current Rovers deal expires next summer and, with a host of Premier League clubs tracking his situation closely, boss Steve Kean is desperate to secure his prized asset on a bumper new contract.
As revealed in the Lancashire Telegraph, Kean travelled out to Toronto to discuss Hoilett’s future with his parents last month with both parties claiming the meeting went well.
David Hoilett
Rovers have since submitted an official offer to the winger and his representatives and are confident the 21-year-old is ready to commit his future to the club.
Kean said: “I had a great talk with his mum and dad in Toronto.
“He has since received an offer of a very good healthy contract and the signs are that is progressing well.”
Hoilett has been a revelation at Rovers ever since Kean succeeded Sam Allardyce as manager last December, ending the campaign as the club’s most likely match winner.
Hoilett and his family have been impressed by Kean’s faith in him and liked the plans for the club Kean put across to them at their meeting last month.
Further talks are expected before a deal is finalised but both parties are optimistic he will put pen to paper on a new deal.
COLIN Hendry believes Junior Hoilett holds all the cards as his Blackburn Rovers future remains unresolved – and insists the club needs to prove to the young winger that it is worth him staying in East Lancashire.
The Canadian starlet is yet to put pen to paper on a bumper long term deal being offered to him by Rovers and, with his current deal expiring in the summer, Hendry warns Hoilett is in the driving seat over negotiations.
Rovers boss Steve Kean believes they are close to getting the winger’s signature, although he has admitted there are a number of outstanding issues, including the subject of a release clause.
Having lost Phil Jones to Manchester United in the summer for a now bargain price of £16million, due to a similar clause, Rovers fans will fear Hoilett going the same way – but former defender Hendry insists the club have no choice but to agree to his terms.
He said: “Rovers did have their fingers burned over the price for Jones because he has already shown he is worth a lot more and you can understand fans will be worried the same could happen over Junior.
“Hoilett is so far down the line in terms of his current contract though that the club have little option but to agree to a clause if that is what the player wants. Because otherwise they could lose him for a lot less come the summer.
“The key is to make sure that trigger price is good business. Then if one of the big clubs come in for him then you just have to accept it is inevitable the player will leave, but at least you get good money for him.
“The changes that have been made at the club have been part of the problem because opinions have changed about players as different people come in.
“We are at the stage now that if Hoilett wants a clause in his contract then the club can’t do anything about it.”
Hendry, who made more than 400 appearances in two spells at the club between 1987 and 1998, was part of the Blackburn Rovers side who lifted the Premier League title.
In between his Ewood Park stays he enjoyed two years at Saturday’s visitors Manchester City but, ahead of the clash, the Scot admits Rovers have to accept a different lot in life.
“Phil Jones was a one off, like Damien Duff was” said Hendry. “One of the big clubs was always going to come and get him from Blackburn. Yes, they did get him cheap.
“Is Junior Hoilett on a similar level? I’m not so sure. He is obviously a very good player but whether the top, top clubs will be coming in for him remains to be seen.
“You can see the likes of Sunderland or Stoke coming in for him with a big bid, that possibly hits any clause that is put in, but it is down to Rovers then to convince him he is already at a club big enough to stay at.
“A big club? You have no chance of keeping the player because at the end of the day Rovers are a selling club. I’m sure he will sign a deal but the key then is to progress on and off the field to make sure he isn’t tempted by the likes of Sunderland, Newcastle or Stoke if they show interest.”
BLACKBURN ROVERS want to put a stunning £18million tag on Junior Hoilett’s head in his new contract – rating him higher than Manchester United’s Phil Jones.
Rovers’ Indian owners are close to talking the Canadian starlet into agreeing a pay rise.
The only stumbling block is the valuation to be placed on him.
Hoilett, 21, is prepared to sign up for a £15m release clause. But Venky’s believe he might be worth even more than centre-half Jones, who joined United for £16m plus extras in June.
The difference in the camps is reducing – with Rovers even prepared to pay Hoilett more to let them put their valuation on him – and boss Steve Kean hopes for a speedy solution.