Blackburn Rovers' Transfer Woes Continue
Blackburn Rovers may need an influx of cash to really make their mark in this transfer window. Tony Mowbray's side have been quiet on the recruitment front so far, with the permanent acquisition of Moussa Baradji their only business to date. It is quite evident that there will not be buckets of cash to throw around to reshape the Rovers squad.
What Happened Last Season?
Clearly, there is a belief amongst the decision-makers at Ewood Park that Rovers' decline last season was largely down to injuries. They dropped from seventh to 20th in the Championship table, swapping a play-off battle for a survival scrap. Now there is no doubt that Rovers were severely impacted by key players' lack of availability. Balazs Toth, Hayden Carter, Scott Wharton, Sondre Tronstad, Ryan Hedges, and Andri Gudjohnsen all spent a considerable amount of time on the sidelines. Each one would've been in a 'best XI' for Rovers last term.
Why It Matters for Blackburn Rovers
But it would be foolish to put the team's struggles entirely down to that. Rovers' big transfer gamble, swapping proven, experienced Championship players for the exact opposite, did not pay off. Lewis Travis and Dom Hyam left huge holes that they did not adequately fill, though the club deserve credit for doing so with Ryan Alebiosu and Callum Brittain. They have also lost key contributor Eiran Cashin, who was instrumental in their survival. Tronstad and Hedges have departed and so there is a clear need to improve this squad, even if they get a fairer wind of the injury front.
What Comes Next?
As discussed previously, Rovers will need to get players out. That is both from a financial view but also a numbers perspective. They do not want a bloated squad with players that aren't contributors. It is bad business and not good for morale. On the flip side, it feels like only the sale of Alebiosu or perhaps Toth could unlock some finance. They are two players Rovers don't want to lose, although Toth's situation is more pressing with one year left on his contract.
Adam Wharton's Potential Sale
There is an alternative way that Rovers could raise some revenue, though it is not a situation they have any control over. Adam Wharton remains a player that is being heavily linked to the biggest clubs in the Premier League and even Europe. The Academy graduate has shone since moving to Crystal Palace and has done his boyhood club proud. At the highest level, it has been the summer of central midfielders. Matheus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali's blockbuster moves to Tottenham Hotspur, for a combined £170m+, looked to have set the standard. Manchester City then blew that out of the water with the £116m acquisition of Elliot Anderson. Those deals have inflated the central midfield market, driving the prices higher for buying clubs. Now this is not about comparisons. Wharton is a wonderful player but would not command the same level of fee as Anderson. But suddenly, his valuation might have jumped up 20 per cent in the eyes of Palace. Why does this matter to Rovers? Well, as you might remember, they have a sell-on clause. Lancashire Telegraph understands this to be 15% of profit, as previously reported. There are rumours of interest from Manchester United amongst others, with whispers suggesting Wharton might be available for £85m. Now we don't know how accurate that is but even if we do some back-of-the-envelope maths, that would be very lucrative to Blackburn Rovers.
