Hughes had two spells as a player with Manchester United (Getty)

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen believes it is inevitable that Rovers manager Mark Hughes is being linked with a number of top clubs.

Already a target for the vacant managerial job at Chelsea, Hughes is now strong favourite to take over at Manchester City.

"You fear the worst but it is only an interview and nothing's set in stone," Nelsen told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"But with what he's done at Blackburn it was always going to happen."

The former Wales national team coach, who initially joined Blackburn as a player in 2000 before replacing Graeme Souness as manager in September 2004, has enjoyed a successful spell at Ewood Park.

As far as I'm concerned there's still unfinished business here Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen

"What he's done for both me and Blackburn is incredible," said the 30-year-old New Zealand international.

"He has made the players feel we could go even higher and that's why we were disappointed to come seventh in the Premier League.

"But there's a lot of bigger clubs who would have loved to finish that high, so we're looking to improve further next season. As far as I'm concerned there's still unfinished business here."

And Nelsen believes that even if Hughes, who played for seven clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea, does leave there will not be a mass exodus of players.

"We're all contracted to Blackburn, it's as simple as that. We all love coming into work and we all love playing for the club. So we're really happy at what we do," he added.

"I can't talk for other players about what they might want to do in the future, but I certainly know on the last day of the season we were all happy."