MARK Hughes today indicated he's ready to put pen to paper on a lucrative new contract with Blackburn Rovers.

Rovers have already started preliminary talks with Hughes about extending his existing deal beyond the end of next season.

And the fiercely ambitious Welshman has hinted he's ready to commit his long-term future to the club, but only once the outcome of Rovers' battle to qualify for Europe has been decided.

The Rovers chief, who could see his team go level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham if they beat the Londoners at White Hart Lane tomorrow, said: "It is early days of talking. The club has indicated they want to extend the contract and I am very happy with that.

"It is not something I am going to worry about too much at this stage because we have some really important games coming up.

"But it's something we will be talking about. We will get this season out of the way and then see what happens."

When Hughes succeeded Graeme Souness as Blackburn's manager in September 2004, he signed a fixed two-year contract, with a further 12 months rolling on top of that.

However, Rovers are eager to secure the services of the 42-year-old on a more long-term basis by offering him a three-year deal, believed to be worth £3.5m.

Hughes has made no secret of his desire to manage at the highest possible level , and he was recently touted as a potential successor to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. But, for now at least, Rovers are managing to match his ambition and their prospects of hanging onto him for the foreseeable future will only be enhanced should they qualify for the Champions League at the end of his first full season in charge.

"Everybody knows I am an ambitious manager and want to get to the level my abilities as a manager will take me to," said Hughes.

"Blackburn have matched my ambitions up to this point and if we can get into a European spot, be it Champions League or UEFA Cup, that is the next step forward."

If Rovers were to finish in a coveted top four spot, that could open the door to a potential transfer treasure chest for Hughes as a place in the first group stages of the Champions League would be worth up to £10 million.

"In the summer, it will make my job easier to go into the transfer market (if we get into Europe)," said the Rovers boss.

"If we are in the market for foreign players, they are more inclined to come to a club that will give them European football because it is so high on their list of priorities.

"So it is very important if we are going to attract top names in the summer to get one of those European places."

If Rovers are to achieve their goal then the outcome of tomorrow's game at Spurs could well be pivotal to their chances.

Hughes added: "There are a lot of good teams within six points of us who have the same ambitions we have and it is going to be difficult.

"We are going to have to continue our home form and go to places like Tottenham and pick up points if we are going to get to where we want to be."