Big Sam keen to keep prospect Jones

BLACKBURN boss Sam Allardyce has warned the vultures hovering over Phil Jones that it will take an eye-watering offer for him to even consider allowing the youngster to leave Ewood Park.

This evening’s opponents Arsenal are understood to be one of the many clubs keeping an eye on the 18-year-old centre-back who has made a real impact this season.

A product of the club’s youth academy, Jones was thrown in at the deep end for his league debut, but emerged as man of the match in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea six weeks ago.

Since then Jones has not looked back, becoming a regular in Rovers’ last six games, and attracting the attention of a number of scouts.

“When you look at Chris Smalling’s situation, he plays four (league) games and he is sold for £10million,” said Allardyce. “That’s how quickly things happen when a new player emerges on the scene like him and Phil Jones. They create a stir in the world of football. When they play consistently well then it’s bound to attract the big boys.

“I do fear a big club will come and take him, and it doesn’t matter he is currently on a longish-term contract because if they offer enough money we would have to sell him. It’s as simple as that. But the money would have to be rather large, to say the least, so I’m very confident he’ll be here (next season). I don’t see a club stumping up the sort of money that would be in my mind to even consider letting him go.”

Crucially for Allardyce, he hopes Jones is being given the right advice as he appreciates how an unscrupulous agent could have a detrimental effect.

“You’re always going to get speculation when a young lad emerges who has been so impressive as he has been over the seven (league) games he has played so far,” added Allardyce.

“You’re not surprised when it starts, so he has to make sure he doesn’t read it, and we also hope he has a sensible agent. They can be the mischievous ones in this situation when they start calling other clubs and doing background work.

“Then they tell the player this club wants him, or that club wants him, and it turns his head.”

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott has other priorities – he feels he has to make full use of the final two league games to cement his place in England’s World Cup squad.

“I have not played much this season and I feel fresh, so hopefully the more games I get to play, the better I will be and I will get to be on the plane,” said Walcott.

Walcott came in for criticism following a subdued display in the international friendly against Egypt at Wembley during March – with former England winger Chris Waddle claiming he “doesn’t understand the game”.

“Sometimes people think I do not realise that it is quite hard to pick people out when you are running so quickly – I just try to put the ball into the space, and if players are getting into the box then it works better.”

BLACKBURN (possible): Robinson; Salgado, Nelsen, Jones, Givet; Andrews, N’Zonzi; Dunn; Olsson, Roberts, Pedersen.

Arsenal (possible): Fabianski; Sagna, Campbell, Silvestre, Clichy; Eboue, Rosicky, Song, Diaby, Nasri; Van Persie.