BURNLEY boss Brian Laws has backed Jay Rodriguez to rise to the Championship challenge, after target Billy Sharp opted to stay at boyhood club Sheffield United and fight for his place.

Laws had hoped to be reunited with Sharp, who he signed for Scunthorpe United in 2005, and make the Blades striker his third summer capture before the players return for pre-season training at Gawthorpe tomorrow.

The Clarets had tabled a deal that I understand would have put Sharp among the top earners at the club.

But after spending the weekend giving careful thought to his options – which included Leeds and Doncaster, where he scored 15 goals on loan last season, or seeing out the last season of his contract – Sharp chose to stick with the club he grew up supporting and try to work his way into Kevin Blackwell’s plans.

Despite the knock-back, Laws insists he has no concerns about the quality of his current strikeforce, which has already been boosted by the arrival of Scotland international Chris Iwelumo from Wolves.

And he expects Burnley-born front man Rodriguez to fulfil his potential this season.

“In Jay Rodriguez we have a player who I think could blossom this year.

"He’s one I am looking forward to seeing push harder towards the team,” said Laws, who said Sharp wasn’t the only striker they had shown an interest in this summer.

“(He) is one player who has been in the mix but we are considering all options.

“We are not confirming anything one way or another, other than to say he is one of a number of players we have talked to.

“But I am not going to dismiss the fact that we have already got four quality strikers who are all proven in the Championship.

“We are certainly not in any crisis in terms of strikers. We have a wealth of experience and good knowledge, and also variety, already there.”

Rodriguez, who celebrates his 21st birthday next month, began to make a name for himself during Burnley’s promotion campaign of 2008/09, after making his Clarets’ debut as a late substitute at home to Bristol City in December the season before.

In 2008, he came off the bench to score the winner against Fulham and set Burnley on the path to the Carling Cup semi-finals, where he also scored in the third of his five goals that season in the second leg against Spurs.

Rodriguez’s development was curtailed by Burnley’s spell in the Premier League, but Laws is anticipating he will pick up where he left off in the Championship and kick-on.

Laws also revealed his desire to bring in a goalkeeper to challenge Brian Jensen and Diego Penny, as well as maintaining his pursuit for a wide player after having at least two bids for Hearts left winger Andrew Driver rejected.

“They are my major priorities and we are getting very close in both of those areas,” said the Burnley boss.

But he added: “I think it’s also important to recognise we are in a good strong position in terms of recruitment.

"We don’t have to rush into anything – unless there is an absolute blinding deal on the table for us.

“People think we are awash with money but that doesn’t mean we are going to over-spend.

"We have a value for players and we feel we have to pay the right price.

“We feel that if we pay the right price and make the player even better he could also be a saleable asset, which is good business.

“We don’t want to be over-priced and be losing money on a player.

“We are making it very clear that we won’t be bullied into spending or paying over the odds.”