Jay Rodriguez to be offered new contract

CLARETS boss Brian Laws has started talks over a new contract with striker Jay Rodriguez.

The 21-year-old is out of contract in the summer, and Laws is keen to tie down the Burnley-born forward to an improved deal.

Rodriguez has started the last four games after coming on for Ross Wallace and impressing in the goal-less draw at Crystal Palace – his longest run in the side – and he completed 90 minutes for the first time in the first team in the 1-1 draw at Millwall on Saturday, where his header put the Clarets ahead.

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Laws has been impressed with what he has seen, and wants to reward Rodriguez for his efforts: “We’re mindful that he’s coming out of contract at the end of the season, but he’s young, he loves the place and I’ve already spoken to him about it.

“We’ve done it weeks and weeks ago, spoken to him about improving his contract, and I said once we get this international break out of the way, we’ll sit down with his agent and progress something for him, because we want to keep hold of him.

“He’s not going anywhere.”

Laws tried to bring in striker Billy Sharp from Sheffield United in the summer, before he decided to stay in South Yorkshire and move to Doncaster Rovers.

But he is delighted he didn’t bring in an extra frontman in the close season, pushing the Barrowford Celtic product down the pecking order.

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Laws said: “I’d rather have a look at our young players than go and buy somebody and overlook them.

“That’s why, yes, we had an eagerness to add some more firepower, but then you think ‘hang on, we’re going to lose an opportunity to look at our own’.

“You got to give them that opportunity, and I’m glad I didn’t bring anyone in.

“Jay could have been one of those that might have been overlooked a little bit longer, and I think he’s really jumped at his opportunity, and shown he’s improved, even over the last summer. There’s a real edge to him now.”

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Rodriguez first signed professional terms in the summer of 2007, under Steve Cotterill, and made his first appearance in December that year, then under Owen Coyle, against Bristol City at Turf Moor, before spending time at Stirling, where he made his debut as a substitute at Celtic, and went on to score three goals in 11 appearances.

It was the following season, however, where he came to prominence, scoring the winner in the Carling Cup against Fulham, and he added strikes against QPR in the FA Cup, most famously against Spurs to take the Carling Cup semi-final to extra time, and big goals on the road to promotion against Crystal Palace and a goal-of-the-season winner against Nottingham Forest.

Last season, in the Premier League, he was restricted to two Carling Cup appearances, hindered by a broken ankle, but he netted on loan with Barnsley at Preston - who he scored the winner against just last month in a 4-3 classic at Turf Moor.

• TICKET prices have been announced for the trip to leaders QPR on Saturday, October 30th.

They are currently on sale to members and season ticket holders by postal applications, priced at £30 and £20 for the School End upper tier, or £25 and £15 for the lower tier.