Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray insists his club will do everything to hold onto key attacker Adam Armstrong.
The forward netted his second hat trick of the campaign in a 5-2 win over Huddersfield Town, and now has 25 goals this term.
The issue for Blackburn is that Armstrong will be in the last year of his contract when the season concludes, and Premier League clubs Brighton and West Ham United have shown an interest in the former Newcastle United man.
Asked if the club can keep Armstrong, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: "Let's wait and see. Footballers are always in charge of their contractual situation, they sign the deals or they don't.
"What I would say is that the club are trying their very, very best and trying to ensure that Adam feels wanted and part of what we're trying to do.
"If Adam feels he wants to do something else then we won't stop him, but while we've got him we'll keep progressing, developing him and seeing where it goes."
Mowbray added: "Adam's situation is interesting, given how his season has panned out and it's a wonder what valuation there is on him from other teams.
"If, in his stomach, he wants to go and play in the Premier League and he wants to do it now, we're not really in a position, financially, to stop that.
"My advice to Adam, when I've been sitting down and chatting to him, would be that there's growth for him here. He has to ask himself; 'is he going to start in the Premier League, play all 38 games and score 20 goals in the Premier League, now?', I would suggest, maybe not.
"My suggestion would be that he should stay here, sign a good contract, enjoy playing every week, score another 25-30 goals and keep learning the game. He's still a young lad and it's not as if his career is running away from him and the time's winding down.
"He should still be wanting to play football, which is the main reason why he left Newcastle United to come here."
Asked if Armstrong would want to play in the Premier League next season, Mowbray added: "I think Adam and I have a very strong working relationship, and I think he knows that I'm only here to try and help him towards becoming the player he wants to be, in his career.
"The only advice I would give, which I've already told him, is that, if he was to sign a deal for us, there'd be no negative, because if the right bid comes in, we'll sell. We're not here to keep anybody against their will or chain you to Ewood Park.
"If the right bid comes in, you can go. If he knocks on my door, one day and shows me the offer and he's keen, I will ask the owners to make that happen."
