Blackburn are bracing themselves for a third Chelsea bid for Damien Duff after rejecting two previous offers in three days this week.
Moneybags Chelsea will have to top stg£17million to get the chance to even talk to Blackburn's superstar over a move to Stamford Bridge.
But Rovers chief executive John Williams admits: "It could soon be out of our hands."
Blackburn have revealed that they've rejected two bids from the West Londoners for the Irish winger, but neither came close to the stg£17m clause in the players' four year contract - signed only last summer - that would mean Rovers have to allow Duff to talk terms.
It is believed Chelsea's bids were around stg£12m and stg£15m, which meant Rovers were within their rights to say no. Liverpool and Manchester United have both shown interest Duff but the stg£17m release clause seems higher than either club value the player.
The Anfield club have now signed Harry Kewell, beating United to the punch on a stg£5m move while United are still trying to net Ronaldinho.
Rovers chief executive John Williams said: "We've had two bids from Chelsea and we've rejected both. "We don't want Damien to go, we hope he stays.
But there is a clause in his contract which we negotiated 12 months ago and if Chelsea meet the requirement of that clause then it's out of our hands.
"Damien is then entitled to speak to any club who meets that requirement and it would then be his decision."
Rovers received the first bid from Chelsea on Tuesday but that was quickly rejected.
Then the Londoners came back in with a new, improved offer on Thursday but that still fell short of the release figure written into Duff's contract.
But Rovers would be powerless to block a move if the bid was increased by another #2m, which seems more than possible considering the spending power of Chelsea's new Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
"We won't accept any bids which are short of the clause in the contract," said Williams. "It depends how serious Chelsea are about wanting to sign him.
If conditions are met with the bid naturally we would be obliged to let Damien talk to Chelsea, or any other club who met them and the decision would rest with the player."