James Hook largely played centre for region and country in 2009-10

Ospreys boss Scott Johnson says they will do all in their power to hold on to James Hook in the long-term.

The player's contract expires at the end of the 2010-11 season and reports have linked him with clubs in France and England.

Hook has publicly stated his wish to play at fly-half, but Dan Biggar won the number 10 battle last season.

Ex-Wales coach Johnson said: "We'll do everything in our power to try to keep James."

Hook has seen Biggar, 20, overtake him in the Wales fly-half rankings too, having already found 32-year-old Stephen Jones' presence a barrier to the national number 10 jersey.

The 25-year-old made his mark at fly-half as a teenager, but largely played centre for region and Wales last season.

Johnson first saw Hook play as teenager who was soon to make his mark at Test level - he has won 43 Wales caps and played for the British & Irish Lions - and says he wants to keep the "precocious" talent at Liberty Stadium.

Hopefully we will provide a good enough reason for James to stay Scott Johnson on James Hook

"I've got a huge regard for James Hook," Johnson told BBC Sport Wales' The Back Page.

"There's no doubt about it - I was here when we first sort of uncovered him as a young fella.

"We watched him as an 18-year-old playing fly-half. We had a look at him, he's a precocious talent, there's no doubt about it.

"He's a local boy too so we'll be doing everything in our power to try to keep James.

"But at the end of the day it's James' decision so we can't control that.

"We can only control what we do here and hopefully we will provide a good enough reason for James to stay and, of course, we'd like him to."

Johnson hopes Wales coach Warren Gatland's policy that underpins the principle of Wales-based players having first call on Test places helps persuade Hook to remain at the region.

"It's one of those funny things that they're talking about, that you have to be playing in Wales to be selected for Wales.

"If that's the case and that's the mandate it makes it easier to retain these players.

"It is an open market out there - we've just got to wait and see.

"This club's produced him, put a lot of work into James and he's a special player, but most of all he's a special lad and we'd like to keep him on most fronts because he adds something to our environment that we like."

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