Jordan Rhodes will reach the Premier League (video)

At the age of just 22-years-old, Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes netted his 100^th Football League goal on Saturday in a 2-0 defeat of Bristol City. With the Ewood Park side unlikely to achieve promotion this season, Rhodes’ goal scoring exploits mean that there’s every chance he will reach the big time before Blackburn do.

Rhodes’ brace on Saturday takes his tally to 20 Championship goals for the season, a brilliant return from just 27 games in his first year in England’s second division, which makes him the joint second top scorer in the league this term. At a cost of £8million last summer, it appears that Rovers have got a bargain. However, if Blackburn – who currently sit in 13^th place in the Championship table – fail to go up this season, Rovers may have a struggle on their hands to keep hold of their leading marksman.

As it was made clear this January transfer window, there are several Premiership clubs currently on the lookout for a clinical finisher and Jordan Rhodes certainly fits the bill. The likes of Norwich, QPR and Everton attempted to add a prolific striker to their squad before the transfer window slammed shut last week and there is every chance that Rhodes will be high on their shortlists as they enter the transfer market again this summer. Apparently not short of money, the Blackburn owners are likely to be unwilling to part with their top scorer for any fee less than £10 million.

Jordan Rhodes came to the attention of Blackburn having netted 87 goals in 148 goals for Huddersfield Town, a ratio of 0.59 goals per game. Last season Rhodes helped Huddersfield gain promotion to the Championship by scoring 36 goals including 6 hat-tricks for The Terriers. He also grabbed the headlines by netting all 4 goals in a 4-4 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough and by grabbing 5 against Wycombe Wanderers. Rhodes’ performances and goal scoring record last season were acknowledged by his award as League 1 Player of the year and by being named as the 4^th best player in the Football League in 2011 by FourFourTwo magazine. Despite being born and raised in England, Rhodes’ form caught the attention of then Scotland manager Craig Levein and he has gone on to win 5 caps for the Scottish national team, scoring 3 goals.

After Rhodes' milestone double on Saturday, Blackburn Rovers manager Michael Appleton commented "I'm sure Jordan will get another 100 at some point, lets hope it is with us in the Premier League". With the striker's stock rising on a weekly basis, Appleton will have to fight to prevent Rhodes' from departing Ewood Park at the end of the season for the deserved chance to test himself in England's top flight.

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