MIDDLESBROUGH have pulled the plug on an £11m deal to sign Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes.

A fee was agreed between the Championship rivals but the transfer has collapsed over personal terms.

Rovers boss Paul Lambert said this afternoon: “After a fee was agreed between the two clubs, Jordan asked to go and speak to Middlesbrough.

“This is the third window now where he has wanted to go and we felt it was right to give him that opportunity.

“After securing a good deal for the club, which would have enabled me to rebuild the squad, we allowed him to leave the team hotel on Friday night, but it appears that he could not agree personal terms with Middlesbrough.

“We had a terrific victory yesterday over Oxford United in the FA Cup, with some great performances by the players who came in, and we’ll continue to try and do that.”

A Rovers statement preceded those comments. It reads: “Blackburn Rovers can confirm that Jordan Rhodes has failed to agree personal terms with Middlesbrough.

“The striker travelled to Teesside yesterday to undergo a medical and for discussions over a potential move, but has now returned to Rovers.”

A Middlesbrough statement, issued earlier today, reads: “The club can confirm that we have held talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes over the weekend but have failed to agree terms.”

Rhodes has told Sky Sports he is ‘baffled and disappointed’ by Boro’s decision but added: “I’ll knuckle down and get my work head back on at Blackburn. It’s a great club.”