12 players to follow Todd Cantwell out of Blackburn Rovers in 2027 ft Celtic target | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at the 12 players set to follow Todd Cantwell out of Blackburn Rovers next summer

Blackburn Rovers endured another summer with a severe lack of investment in the squad, bringing in just three fresh faces to the club, and as Tony Mowbray looks to maintain their place in the Championship this season, next summer is looking bleak at Ewood Park as things stand.

Blackburn brought in Jayden Fevrier, Sam Morsy, and Gady Beyuku to the club over the summer, whilst confirming the permanent capture of Moussa Baradji after a successful loan spell, in what was another window with limited investment from the club.

Having narrowly survived last season, whether the former Premier League champions have got what it takes to avoid being drawn into another relegation battle this time around remains to be seen, as regardless of what division they are playing in next year, things already look troubling.

Club captain Todd Cantwell is set to leave the club next summer as things stand, with his contract due to expire, and with a staggering 12 of his teammates in a similar position, Football League World has taken a look at each player set to depart Blackburn in 2027, using data from Transfermarkt.

Harry Pickering

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Left-back Harry Pickering came through the academy at Crewe Alexandra, making over 150 appearances for the Cheshire-based outfit, and after joining Blackburn in the summer of 2021, is nearing the same number of appearances for the former Premier League champions.

Blackburn have the option to extend his stay for a further year if they wish, which will likely be triggered sooner rather than later, but right now, he is set to leave next summer.

Hayden Carter

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A product of the Blackburn academy, 26-year-old Hayden Carter has made over a century of appearances across all competitions at Ewood Park, but having never truly nailed down a place in the side, it wouldn't be a surprise to see his stay with Rovers finally come to an end upon the expiry of his deal in 2027.

Yuki Ohashi

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Japanese forward Yuki Ohashi has been among Blackburn's most important players since arriving at the club in the summer of 2024, with 20 goals and 5 assists in 90 appearances across all competitions to date, and though his deal is set to expire in the summer, Rovers can choose to extend his stay by a further year if they wish, which you would imagine they will act upon sooner rather than later.

Oladapo Afolayan

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Oladapo Afolayan only joined Blackburn in January 2026, signing a one-and-a-half-year deal from German side St. Pauli, and with three goals and two assists to begin this campaign, has been on fire.

Should he continue this form, Blackburn may find it difficult to extend the 29-year-old's stay, and as things stand, he's set to follow Cantwell out the door next summer.

Aynsley Pears

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Goalkeeper Aynsley Pears joined Blackburn in the summer of 2020 from Middlesbrough, and since arriving at the club, has acted as both a backup and a first-choice option.

Behind Hungarian international Balazs Toth in the pecking order at the moment, Pears is due to leave the club next year, though whether he will sign an extension may depend on the fate of his teammate and competitor.

Balazs Toth

Toth was the subject of heavy interest from Celtic in the most recent window, but remained at Ewood Park beyond the deadline. Despite this, he's not expected to sign a fresh deal.

An exit seems the most likely option in any case next summer, though Blackburn will be looking to the Hungarian to continue to perform between the sticks until then.

Augustus Kargbo

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Sierra Leonean forward Augustus Kargbo has endured an injury-laden spell since joining Blackburn in January 2025, making just 20 appearances across all competitions in over 18 months at the club.

Whether his stay will be extended will likely depend on whether he can work his way back to fitness, remain available, and perform to a decent level, which, at this stage, appears more wishful than anything else.

Yuri Ribeiro

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Portuguese left-back Yuri Ribeiro joined Blackburn in the same window as Kargbo, and has been competing closely with Pickering for a spot in Rovers' defence ever since.

The 29-year-old has never really nailed down a place in the side, and whether he signs an extension is up in the air.

Sean McLoughlin

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Irish centre-back Sean McLoughlin has been an ever-present in the heart of Blackburn's defence ever since joining from Hull City in the summer of 2025, and has become one of the first names on the team sheet at Ewood Park.

It would be a surprise to see him leave in the summer, especially with Blackburn having the option to extend his terms, as surely he won't be following Cantwell out the door just yet.

Jake Garrett

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Another product of the Blackburn academy, versatile midfielder Jake Garrett has yet to truly nail down a spot for the Championship side at the age of 23.

It appears as though he is not quite yet cut out for the second tier, and if Blackburn stay up this season, a departure seems inevitable, with his current deal due to expire soon.