By Ben Kosky BLACKBURN striker Jason Roberts is keen to come home before next week s transfer deadline and finish his career with QPR. A source close to the player, who grew up in Stonebridge Park, confirmed to the Times that Roberts is interested in a

By Ben Kosky

BLACKBURN striker Jason Roberts is keen to come 'home' before next week's transfer deadline and finish his career with QPR.

A source close to the player, who grew up in Stonebridge Park, confirmed to the Times that Roberts is interested in a possible move to Rangers, who are desperate to sign a proven goalscorer.

A number of Championship rivals have expressed an interest and there is also an offer on the table from Turkey, but the Rs' location, coupled with their strong start to the season, has put them in pole position for Roberts' signature.

The striker is in the last year of his contract at Blackburn, who will seek a fee in the region of �500,000 for a permanent transfer, but are also likely to agree to an initial loan deal.

The source said: "It's certainly something Jason's looking at - he's never played in London and the challenge of coming back to play a stone's throw from where he grew up, is one that interests him.

"Jason would be a great addition for QPR - he's got a great track record at getting clubs out of the Championship. It would be fitting to come back to London and drive his local team into the Premier League.

"It ticks a lot of boxes and it'd be a bit like Craig Bellamy going to Cardiff, not just in terms of a homecoming but it would also send out a big signal about how serious QPR are."

Roberts, 32, began his career with Hayes before Wolves snapped him up in 1997 and he then made his name under Ian Holloway at Bristol Rovers before joining West Brom in a �2m deal.

He won promotion to the Premier League in 2002 and repeated the feat with Wigan three years later, hitting 21 league goals to take the Latics into the top flight for the first time.

Blackburn paid �3m to sign the forward in 2006 and he has made more than 100 appearances for the Lancashire club, but now appears surplus to requirements.

The player received an MBE at the beginning of this year in recognition of the work done by the Jason Roberts Foundation helping youngsters in his native Grenada.

But Roberts has also been active in the area where he grew up and was back in Stonebridge Park on Wednesday to launch the Respect Brent scheme, a sports and education programme for young people in the borough.

QPR boss Neil Warnock said: "I'm not kidding myself that we're the finished article. I'd say we're sixth

to 10th in terms of squads, but if we can get a couple of strikers I'll have a good squad.

"We will get injuries, and we need to have quality strikers in the squad. I'm pleased with everyone, but we need help up front.