IF it had been a Premier League club who had come in for Jordan Rhodes, and he saw a bid turned down, it would have been understandable if he chose to upset the applecart in the way that he has.

But given the bid has come in from another team in our division, it’s a little bit different.

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To me, if Jordan is going to better himself, he’s got to go to the Premier League.

But, seeing as a Premier League move has not come off, he obviously feels that going to one of the favourites in the Championship is the next best thing.

There’s no doubt that Middlesbrough, given the money they are spending, will be one of the favourites.

Who knows? Maybe a Premier League club will come in for him. It’s still early doors and I can see this dragging on for another four weeks.

But the one thing Jordan or Blackburn cannot deny is that he has yet to be tried and tested at Premier League level.

Maybe that’s why some clubs have not paid that extra little bit of money Blackburn are asking because they see it as a gamble.

But Jordan has proved himself in the Championship. That is why Blackburn are right to ask for a big fee.

They are showing steely determination and they’ve got to continue to do that because the ball is in their court.

It’s not in Jordan’s court. He’s stated what he wants to do, now it’s up to the club to see if they can stick to their guns and hold on to him.

But all this does Gary Bowyer no favours. He’s having to prepare for the new season without knowing if his two main strikers, Jordan and Rudy Gestede, are still going to be here.

But, even if they are, they are going to be behind the rest of the group at this rate as they’ve played so little football in pre-season.

When they do get fit, they’ve got to get their heads down, and do some hard work.

But you can do all the running you like, match fitness is key, and the only way you are going to get that is by playing back to back games, alongside your training.

Having said that, it would give me no greater pleasure than to see Jordan and Rudy still here come August 8 and the closure of the transfer window after that.

I want to see Blackburn get up and win promotion, and to do that you’ve got to have your best players.

And there’s no doubt that Jordan and Rudy are among the club’s best.