STOKE City manager Johan Boskamp will have to stump up hard cash if he's to stand a chance of keeping Paul Gallagher at the Britannia Stadium next season.

The City supremo has been hugely impressed by the contribution of the Blackburn Rovers striker, who has spent all season on loan with the Potters.

Ideally, Boskamp would like to strike a similar deal again which would see the Scotland international spend a second year on loan to the Championship side.

But as I understand it, Rovers boss Mark Hughes is ready to block such a move because he believes it's not in the best interests of the club to loan Gallagher out again.

Rovers chairman John Williams said: "Paul will start pre-season with us and then we'll go from there."

Gallagher has made a big impression at Stoke, where he's the club's top scorer with 11 goals in 38 appearances so far this term.

Boskamp reckons it would be beneficial to his development if the Scot spent a further season with them in the Championship rather than warming the bench for Rovers in the Premier League.

But the only way he will stay at the Britannia is if Stoke try to sign him permanently, which looks unlikely.

The City chief said: "They (Blackburn) have three or four strikers and a lot of players on the left side, so maybe Blackburn can help us again and he can grow with us to be ready for Blackburn."

Whatever happens over the next few months, it promises to be a big summer for Gallagher - one way or another.

He will be given a chance to impress in pre-season, then manager Mark Hughes must decide whether to keep him or cash in whilst he still has an attractive sell-on value.