IT would take an offer of £12m for Blackburn Rovers to consider selling prized asset Jordan Rhodes.

Club record signing Rhodes was yesterday the subject of a failed £8m bid from Premier League outfit Hull City.

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Rovers do not want to sell the prolific striker who has scored 53 goals in 99 games for the club following his £8m move from Huddersfield Town in August 2012.

Ewood Park bosses hoped to fend off potential suitors by handing the 24-year-old a new and improved five-year contract last month.

But that has not stopped Hull, whose assistant manager and former Rovers midfielder Steve Agnew is Rhodes’ uncle, from becoming the first club to formally table an offer for the Scotland international.

That opening offer was turned down.

But it is believed the Tigers, who are in the market for a new forward after selling Shane Long to Southampton for £12m, will return with a club record bid.

However it is understood they will have to hand over all of the proceeds from Long’s sale if they are to stand any chance of getting their man.

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer yesterday confirmed that Hull, whose current club record signing is £8m midfielder Jake Livermore, wanted Rhodes.

He does not want to lose his talisman.

But he accepts the situation could be taken out of his hands.

“It is obviously something you don’t want and we gave him a new contract recently so we thought that would be the end of it,” said Bowyer, who stated he has not been told he has to sell any of his top players by the Rovers board or owners Venky’s.

“But I totally understand that Premiership clubs would be interested in someone that scores as many goals as he does.

“From a footballing point of view there’s no decision to be made in my eyes – you’re guaranteed a minimum of 25 goals a season.

“He’s the best finisher I’ve ever worked with so, from a footballing point of view, if my opinion was asked, it would be a big fat ‘no’, we shouldn’t sell him.

“But I understand there’s the lure of the Premier League and the finances that would be involved.

“It’s out of my hands.”

Asked whether he would be consulted over any potential sale Bowyer said: “The relationship we have with the board and the owners is a close one and it’s one based on respect both ways and I understand the club has got to comply with Financial Fair Play.

“It doesn’t make my job any easier but rather than kick off and sulk about it I have to accept those terms and get on with the job to the best of my ability.”

As things stand Rhodes who has scored 54 goals in the Championship since the start of the 2012-13 season – more than any other player – is set to start for Rovers in tomorrow’s home clash against Bournemouth.

If he does play it will be his 100th appearance for the club.

Bowyer spoke to Rhodes before training yesterday about Hull’s interest.

And he insists the former Ipswich Town and Huddersfield frontman, who has notched 150 goals in 280 senior club appearances, will be in the right frame of mind to take on the Cherries.

Bowyer said: “There’s a lot of time before now and Saturday but Jordan is the ultimate professional and I’m sure he’ll just concentrate on preparing properly and getting ready for the game.”