BURNLEY manager Brian Laws is hoping to soften the blow of losing Robbie Blake by replacing him with Cardiff City winger Peter Whittingham.

Burnley have concentrated on two main targets in the wide left position – Whittingham, and Hearts youngster Andrew Driver for the third year in a row.

But after being unable to break Scottish Premier League club’s resistance, the hunt for Whittingham has stepped up, with the Clarets trying to tempt the 25-year-old into talks by increasing their first rejected offer of £1.75m.

Laws now appears prepared to drop all interest in Driver, admitting he will not be held to ransom.

A £2.5m down payment, rising to £4m, was £1m more than the amount tabled earlier in June, but still did not meet Hearts’ valuation.

Laws said: “We have made our interest in Driver clear and have offered some very significant sums.

“I have to say now that enough is enough. The latest offer was very good indeed when you consider he is a guy who has not played a lot of football over the past 12 months and is currently injured.

“There is no mileage in it now for us and I will look at other targets and pursue other players given what Hearts are asking.”

Laws will hope that his latest approach for Whittingham meets a more favourable response, although I understand it is below the £3m Cardiff are looking for.

The left footer, who had a brief loan spell with Burnley during his days at Aston Villa in 2005, was the joint leading scorer in the Championship last season with an impressive 20 goals – including strikes in both legs of Cardiff’s play-off semi final triumph over Leicester.