Blackburn Rovers today gave a firm hands off warning to any clubs eyeing their precocious young striker Matt Jansen.

And the player himself stressed he was "still happy" at Ewood.

There was more speculation in this morning's national press that Manchester United and Arsenal were about to try to secure the injured striker's services in time for their UEFA Champions League campaigns.

The report also inferred that Rovers were ready to give him a choice of clubs.

But chief executive John Williams said: "As we have stressed before there is no escape clause in Matt's contract.

"He has also made it clear to Brian Kidd that he wants to stay with Blackburn Rovers. We have not had any bid for him and he is not for sale."

Williams admitted that things do change in football but he stressed: "All four of those reasons spell out the situation as far as we are concerned."

Jansen, who suffered a bruised kidney during last Saturday's draw with Port Vale, re-iterated what he had told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph before the start of the season. Before going training today he said: "I am still happy here. I want to settle down and have a run of games under Brian Kidd.

"I haven't seen the speculation. I'm sure the rest of the lads will point it out to me but I see my immediate future here. If I moved again it would be my fourth club in no time at all." Rovers boss Brian Kidd, who rates Jansen very doubtful for tomorrow's game at Huddersfield, also seems to have written off any chance of taking Bradford striker Robbie Blake to Ewood.

"I believe that situation is dead," he said. "Obviously what we valued the player at was not what they wanted and there has been absolutely nothing on that one."

Meanwhile, former Ewood stars George Donis and Scott Sellars are aiming to take some pressure off Huddersfield Town at the McAlpine Stadium tomorrow night - and increase it on their old club. Both see a flying start as essential in their opening home match.

Donis, who joined Rovers from Panathinaikos in the summer of 1996 but left just over a year later for AEK Athens, said: "If at all possible, I want to win.

"We played quite well at QPR and a 3-1 defeat was hard on us.

"I think we have to learn from every game because we are hoping to do well.

"And it was good to get the Worthington Cup win at Scunthorpe to put Saturday out of our minds."

Even though he had a frustrating time at Ewood, Donis has no hard feelings towards Rovers.

"I had a very good time at Blackburn," he added. "But now I am a Huddersfield Town player and I will be doing my best for them."

Sellars also believes that the midweek win at Scunthorpe will lift Huddersfield's confidence for what he expects to be a tough game.

"It's another great game for us and a good test to see just where we are," he said.

"Blackburn have been everybody's favourites for this season, a real tip for the top.

"They have a big squad with a lot of money being spent and it will be a very difficult game for us.

"It's our first home game and it's important we try to get a win. But I must stress it will be hard.

"From our point of view, having lost last Saturday, getting some points on the board would take away a little bit of pressure."

Rovers boss Brian Kidd will have to check a couple of injuries before selecting his squad, including Craig Short who limped off at the end of Saturday's draw with Port Vale after taking a kick on the shin.

Tickets for the game are on sale at Ewood to Rovers fans for £13 adults, £7 senior citizens and juniors.

The visiting fans' seats are in the Gardner Merchant Stand behind one of the goals at the McAlpine Stadium.

The Ewood Blues ISG are running a coach to Hudderfield, leaving the Aqueduct at 5.30pm. Cost is £8. For more information contact the Aqueduct or Mark or Alan.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.