Football League World
·2. Oktober 2024
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·2. Oktober 2024
Decisions may have to be made on the futures of certain individuals
In the end, there did not seem to be many surprises among those who were sold by Blackburn Rovers in this summer's transfer window.
Having scored so many vital goals last season, it always seemed inevitable that Sammie Szmodics would attract too much attention for him to remain at Ewood Park.
Meanwhile, as a high earner with just a year left on his contract, Sam Gallagher's sale to Stoke City also looked a sensible one.
Elsewhere, both Semir Telalovic and Leo Wahlstedt endured difficult debut seasons in England, so it made sense to allow the duo to return to more familiar surroundings as well.
Now, as attention slowly starts to turn towards the January transfer window, decisions will have to be made over the future, long or short-term, of other players currently in John Eustace's squad.
So with that in mind, FLW takes a look at four Blackburn Rovers players who could leave the club either permanently or on loan in January, right here.
It has been a somewhat frustrating start to the season for Arnor Sigurdsson, who despite his excellent winner against Oxford in August, is still yet to start a league game.
Admittedly, he has not always been available due to illness, but when Rovers were chasing the game in their first league defeat of the season at Coventry on Tuesday, he was the one attacker who Eustace did not send for from the bench.
That does seem to be a clear indicator that he is down the pecking order at Blackburn, and so with his contract set to expire in the summer, the Rovers hierarchy may be tempted to cash in on him in January while they can.
Indeed, it does seem as though the club are looking for options other than Sigurdsson on the left-wing, with the likes of Martial Godo, Augustus Kargbo and James Berry all linked since the summer transfer window closed.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Iceland international has attracted interest from the likes of QPR and PAOK recently, so a permanent move away for the winger at the turn of the year may not be a huge shock.
Blackburn triggered a 12-month extension in Tyrhys Dolan's contract at the end of last season, to ensure he was not free to leave the club this summer.
But with no further extension yet confirmed, that does mean that the January transfer window could be their last chance to cash in on him.
Given the 22-year-old undoubtedly possesses a great deal of talent, it would be no surprise if clubs did therefore try their luck to try and secure his services at the turn of the year.
Indeed, Luton Town are one side who have recently been credited with an interest in Dolan, and if a big enough offer was made, it could give Blackburn a decision to make.
Having come through the club's youth ranks, Leo Duru has made his first senior appearances for Rovers at the start of this campaign.
The 19-year-old right-back featured in both of his side's Carabao Cup matches, and made a late substitute appearance in the league draw at Burnley.
But with Callum Brittain missing the last four matches due to injury, Eustace has chosen to use centre-back Hayden Carter on the right of his defence, rather than give Duru a run of starts in the league.
That may suggest that there is a belief at Blackburn that the teenager is not yet ready to take on the responsibility of that role.
As a result, a loan move for Duru in January that allows him to get more senior game time under his belt, and puts him in a better position to step into that role for Rovers in the future, could be a sensible move.
Last season, Zak Gilsenan was one of those academy players who made the breakthrough onto the fringes of the first-team at Ewood Park.
The winger scored twice in the Carabao Cup, while making a couple of late substitute appearances in the Championship.
Some prolific form for the under-21's led to calls for him to be given more first-team opportunities, although injury prevented that from happening.
Sadly, those fitness issues have also prevented the 21-year-old from making a single appearance at the start of the current campaign.
As a result, a loan move away from Blackburn that allows him to build up his match fitness and sharpness could be good for him, especially considering that aforementioned interest in several other wing options.