English soccer Premiership club Blackburn Rovers are fighting to retain All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen on their roster.
Club chairman John Williams said today the club believed Nelsen wanted to stay at Blackburn and they were now prepared to offer him a financial package designed to ensure he is not
tempted to leave Ewood Park.
Rovers have rejected three bids from Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp for the central defender since the end of last season, but Redknapp has shown no sign of admitting defeat in his efforts to land Nelsen.
"Despite the fact Ryan already has a contract which still has a substantial period to run, we are in the process of offering him a new one and some progress has been made," Williams told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
"If we're going to turn down decent money for him, which we have done, then the emphasis is on us to improve his present deal.
"We believe that's the right and honourable thing to do, so hopefully we'll be in a position to announce something shortly."
Nelsen, 28, joined Blackburn from US major league club DC United on a free transfer in January 2005 and has since made 46 Premiership appearances for the club.
- NZPA
