BURNLEY are bracing themselves for Premier League predators to turn up the heat in the quest for Jay Rodriguez’s signature.

Out of the clutch of top flight clubs chasing the 22-year-old’s signature, Fulham made the first move. They are now set to up the ante after having a £5million offer turned down.

Their latest bid is still expected to fall well below the Clarets’ £8million valuation of their top scorer.

But there is the sense that it is only a matter of time before an offer is accepted for the sought-after centre forward, whose stock has risen after an impressive second full season in the Championship.

Rodriguez, who was voted into the PFA Championship team of the season by his peers - despite Burnley’s 13th placed finish - is already known to have attracted interest from Reading, Newcastle, Norwich, Everton and Premier League newcomers Reading and Southampton, as well as Fulham.

Bolton Wanderers were monitoring the Burnley-born striker’s situation, but are now highly unlikely to be in a position to make a suitable offer, after being relegated into the Championship on the final day of the season, and forced to slash their wage bill.

Nevertheless, the list of suitors has grown, with clubs who managed to stave off the drop also believed to be tracking England Under 21 cap Rodriguez, who ended the campaign with 21 league and cup goals, and would surely have got more had it not been for a groin injury which ruled him out of nine of the last 11 games.

The Clarets youth team product still has a year left to run on his contract, but with the growing list of admirers it seems inevitable that he will leave the club he has served as man and boy for 11 years.

Fulham appear to be in the driving seat at the moment, but chase for Rodriguez is set to gather pace in the coming days.