MARK Robertson looks set to leave Turf Moor after turning down a new contract offer.

The Clarets midfielder has just finished a loan spell with Wollongong Wolves and reaches the end of his current Burnley deal at the end of the month.

Manager Stan Ternent is keen for the Australian under-23 international to stay but that now looks unlikely, unless Robertson has a late change of heart.

"Mark Robertson has refused terms offered to him.

"The offer is a good one but he's looking for longer term," confirmed Ternent today. The Clarets boss will not be improving the offer to Robertson but has written to the player, who helped Wollongong to the national title Down Under, outlining reasons why he should still consider a future with the First Division club.

"I would like him to come back. If I didn't want that I wouldn't have offered him a deal and I will just wait for a response on that," Ternent added.

The manager allowed Robertson the chance of first-team football with the Wolves to press his claims for a place at the Sydney Olympics.

Burnley would, however, retain compensation rights and look for a fee if the 23-year-old, too young to move within the domestic game for nothing under the Bosman ruling, links up with another club in Britain.

Ian Wright the other out-of-contract player to formally decide on his new offer, is to have the stitches from an ankle operation removed tomorrow. Ternent is set for talks with the former England international some time after that.