BLACKBURN - South African midfielder Quinton Fortune is hoping to earn a contract with Blackburn after being asked to extend his trial with the Premier League club.

BLACKBURN - South African midfielder Quinton Fortune is hoping to earn a contract with Blackburn after being asked to extend his trial with the Premier League club.

Fortune spent a week with Rovers during their recent training camp in America and impressed manager Mark Hughes. But Fortune has only just recovered from an operation and Hughes wants him to stay at Ewood Park for another couple of weeks so he can take a closer look at the former Manchester United player.

"We were made aware he was available and we thought it was an opportunity just to have a look at him first hand like we always do," Hughes said. "The fact that we were away in Orlando meant that it made sense to take him with us. He did okay and we will probably keep him for a couple more weeks.

"We haven't been able to see him in a match scenario yet to check that his fitness levels are up to the required standard because he hasn't played a great deal of football.

"He has had problems with injuries and he has just had an operation, but he has come back from that looking fit and well. There is no doubting his pedigree, he has played for top clubs and made animpression for all of them."

Fortune would be joining ex-Bafana Bafana teammates in Aaron Mokoena and Benni McCarthy. - Sapa-AFP (additional reporting by Sello Rabothata)