LIVERPOOL expect Jay Spearing to join them on their pre-season tour of Indonesia on Tuesday – with Blackburn Rovers no closer to bringing the midfielder to Ewood Park.
Rovers and Liverpool informally agreed earlier this week that both parties would be willing to do business for around of £1.75m, but any transfer was dependent on Spearing wanting to move and the necessary funds being available.
Rovers have since brought in £2.5m from the sale of Martin Olsson to Norwich but have remained very cautious about the possibility of completing a deal for Spearing.
The 24-year-old is thought to be prepared to wait to assess his options, determined to secure football in the Premier League and holding out some final hopes of proving himself at Liverpool. Spearing did not feature in Brendan Rodgers’ plans last term and was sent out on loan to Bolton for the season, and the Reds are now keen to move the midfielder on.
But Spearing has always been ambitious to become a regular at his boyhood club and may hope he can have one last shot at proving himself to Rodgers during pre-season. Liverpool fly out to Indonesia on tour on Tuesday and Spearing is currently scheduled to return for pre-season in time to join the squad on the plane to south east Asia.
Premier League sides have also registered an interest, with Spearing ambitious to ply his trade in the top flight. Bolton also continue to monitor the situation, although Dougie Freedman does not have the money to do a deal at this stage.
Rovers could have to play the waiting game and they have not yet turned their informal talks with Liverpool into a formal bid, or been granted permission to speak to Spearing.
Club officials have been guarded over their interest in the player – particularly in the wake of their failed attempt to sign fellow midfielder Luke Murphy, who decided to move to Leeds instead. Rovers may yet decide to use some of the Olsson funds to bring in a replacement left back or strengthen up front.
David Jones had also been on Rovers’ list of midfield targets and the former loanee’s move to Burnley has taken longer than expected. Jones has however travelled to Ireland with the Clarets for pre-season.
Asked if Rovers had dropped their interest in Jones, Bowyer said: “We have a number of options and David Jones is one of those options.”
Rovers’ squad are currently in Portugal on their pre-season training camp and take on Portimonense in a friendly tomorrow.
