sport

Appleton eyeing Bentley move

Blackburn Rovers boss Michael Appleton admits he would welcome the opportunity to bring David Bentley back to Ewood Park.

Bentley shot to prominence during a two-year stint with Rovers between 2006 and 2008, with a number of eye-catching displays earning him England recognition and a big-money move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Now 28, the winger's career has been in decline ever since he left Blackburn, with injuries and a loss of form making him something of a forgotten man.

He is still on the books at Spurs, but remains some way down the pecking order and Appleton, who hopes to add to his signing of Karim Rekik from Manchester City before the weekend, concedes that he would be interested in taking Bentley on loan.

"I certainly hope to have another one done by this evening," Appleton told the Lancashire Telegraph on Friday.

"I doubt he will be involved on Saturday, but I am 90 per cent sure that will be done.

"David is a wide player and we have been talking about wide players. He is definitely on the list and in an ideal world I would like to bring two wide players in.

"So whether he is one of the two, let's see what happens. He has a great history with the club and a lot of quality."