MARK Hughes has done it again.

He seems to have a canny knack of discovering promising players, enticing them to Ewood Park, and then bringing the very best out of them.

And all the early indications are that Dutch striker Maceo Rigters will be no different.

I haven't seen much of the lad, but by all accounts he was the star of the show at the Under-21 European Championships, and to get him for just £350,000 is a bargain.

Look at the gems he's already unearthed in Ryan Nelsen, Chris Samba and Stephen Warnock. If he can do the same with Rigters, and I don't see any reason why not because the lad's young and hungry to learn, then it will prove an unbelievable piece of business.

Rigters will also provide some competition among the strikers, which is vital at any team. Matt Derbyshire's got a big season coming up and I'm sure this signing will make him even more determined to stay in the first team.

Although, if you believe reports, it looks like Rovers could be about to lose Jason Roberts, although Fulham will have to up their bid by a lot if they want to land him. Mark won't let him go on the cheap.

Roberts had a difficult start last season and then got injured. But when he came back, he looked fit, and fresh and hungry and that was reflected with the number of goals he scored.

All the signs were that he and McCarthy, who seem to get on really well off the pitch, could form a formidable partnership up front for Rovers.

But now, apparently, he wants to go back down to London to be near his family. That sounds strange to me since he played his best football in the north west for Wigan.

Homesickness is something that never bothered me in my career because I never wanted to leave the club. But every now and again there were players who wanted to leave, and they upset the dressing room.

I hope that's not the case with Roberts, but if it was, and they could get the right money for him, then I'd let him go.

Mark's big enough to know that and I'm sure he'll sort everything out one way or another.

The good thing is, if Roberts does leave, then Mark's got a ready-made replacement in Rigters.