O'Neill launches £15m bid for Blackburn midfielder Bentley

O'Neill wants to fend off interest from a number of clubs, including Spurs and Chelsea.

He is the first manager to make a firm approach to Blackburn, according to the Mirror.

David Bentley is believed to want a move away from Blackburn

Bentley has played six times for England, but believes his international chances would be enhanced by a move away from Rovers.

Blackburn chairman John Williams has said the club will not discuss Bentley's future until a new manager is in place.

Williams said: "Mark Hughes and I had a meeting with David before the end of the season and he said he wanted to test himself at a higher level.

"Mark said to him it would be in both our best interests if he stayed for another year.

"We will not discuss this until the new manager is in place. He may come in and say we should sell this player or that one.

"The one thing the new manager can expect is exactly that degree of backing that we gave to Mark Hughes."

Half-a-dozen candidates have been interviewed by Rovers for the vacant manager's position.

Paul Ince, Sam Allardyce and Steve McClaren are among the contenders and the former England boss reportedly had his interview yesterday.

Williams said: "The process is still on-going and we are on target for the end of this week.

"Having said that we are not going rush anything, the most important thing is that we get the right man for the job."

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