Middlesbrough pull plug on move for Jordan Rhodes

Aitor Karanka’s Sky Bet Championship side had a reported £11million bid for Rovers’ Scotland international accepted on Friday night and he was left out of Paul Lambert’s squad at Oxford on Saturday.

However, the move has hit the rocks following discussions between Boro and Rhodes.

A short club statement posted on Middlesbrough’s official website read: “The club can confirm that we have held talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes over the weekend but have failed to agree terms.”

Middlesbrough have been chasing the 25-year-old since the summer and Blackburn initially rejected their advances, with the player telling ESPN in July that he was “unhappy” at not having the opportunity to discuss terms with them.

He got that chance this weekend, but Rhodes revealed to Sky Sports News HQ that he was “baffled and disappointed” that Boro had pulled the plug.

“I’ll knuckle down and get my work head back on at Blackburn,” he added. “It’s a great club.”

Should Rhodes stay at Blackburn beyond Monday’s deadline, he could be in the squad to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday.

Speaking after Saturday’s FA Cup win at Oxford, Rovers boss Lambert revealed Rhodes had informed him he wanted to leave and that he was surprised his club did not accept Hull’s offer 18 months ago when Gary Bowyer was in charge.

“The lad came and saw me, he wanted to go, and to be honest I thought the club should have taken the offer the summer before,” Lambert said.

“Jordan has been excellent for Blackburn, but the money is too good to turn down. The investment will help, the club has got to rebuild. We need a stronger team to be able to get out of this league.”

Rhodes moved to Blackburn in a club-record £8million deal from Huddersfield in the summer of 2012 and he has scored 85 goals in three-and-a-half seasons for them.

Huddersfield are entitled to 20 per cent of any profit Rovers make on a deal involving Rhodes.