LONDON (AFP) - David Bentley has admitted that his desire to be England's first-choice right-winger at the 2010 World Cup could result in him leaving Blackburn if a bigger club comes knocking.

Bentley has begun discussing a new contract with Blackburn but says his top priority is playing regularly in Europe, something the Lancashire club may not be able to deliver next season.

"It's a big decision in my life at the minute," Bentley admitted. "I want to play European football, I want to play at the top of my game.

"I want to go to the World Cup in two years and I want to be starting - so sometimes you have to make strong decisions, we'll have to see what happens.

"Time will tell over the next few months what will happen. I'm speaking to Blackburn at the minute but you never know in football what's going to happen."

Asked if Blackburn missing out on Europe would precipitate a move away from Ewood Park, Bentley added: "I won't answer that. I'll leave it up to you to decide."

Bentley impressed in Fabio Capello's first match in charge, a friendly win over Switzerland in February, but was relegated to the bench to allow David Beckham to return for the 1-0 defeat in France last week.

Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips and Tottenham's Aaron Lennon are also in contention to be Capello's right-flank man and Bentley knows playing in the Champions League is a huge advantage for players with international ambitions.

"I'm in the early stages of my England career," he said. "I'm going to have to work hard, it's up to me to take the position. There's a lot of good players in this country. But if I perform then I believe I can take it, so we'll have to see."

If Bentley does move to one of England's big four clubs, Liverpool would be his most likely destination. Having been discarded by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after serving his apprenticeship in north London, he is unlikely to go back there while Manchester United and Chelsea are both well-stocked with wide players.