Ince fights to keep players

Updated 08.54 Tue Jul 15 2008
Keywords: paul ince, brad friedel, david bentley, paul robinson, football, blackburn rovers, premier league, sport

Blackburn manager Paul Ince hopes David Bentley and Brad Friedel will decide to stay at the club.

Bentley has made it clear he wants to play in the Champions League, but the only club that has shown a firm interest in him is Aston Villa.

"I do not want to sell Brad" - Paul Ince

Meanwhile, Rovers chairman John Williams has revealed there are clubs chasing Friedel and that has led to speculation that Ince might try to sign Tottenham's out-of-favour goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Ince said: "When I came to Blackburn I said I wanted to keep my best players, and Brad Friedel comes into that category, he is one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

"There is no interest from me in Paul Robinson, as far as I am concerned I want to keep Brad. I do not want to sell Brad, so why should I want Paul Robinson?

"As for the David Bentley situation, that will not go away, only time will tell whether he is here in August. We have had an offer from Aston Villa, but I do not want him to go."

Bentley is currently injured and missed Blackburn's friendly against Macclesfield but he is expected to travel with the rest of the squad to Germany this week for a training camp.

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