"£8-10 million" - Transfer claim made on Blackburn Rovers star Hayden Carter | OneFootball

The defender has been the first-choice centre back for John Eustace at the start of the campaign

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Blackburn Rovers have started the 24/25 Championship season in fine form, with John Eustace’s side yet to taste defeat in their first four matches of the campaign.

Two home wins and two draws on the road have seen the Lancashire outfit hold their own against their divisional rivals so far, with a battling point against local rivals Burnley their last result before the international break.

With top scorer from last season Sammie Szmodics making the step up to the Premier League with Ipswich Town, Eustace has called upon the goalscoring prowess of Andi Weimann, Makhtar Gueye and Yuki Ohashi in the final third.

But it is a player in the backline that has been catching the eye with his performances of late, with Football League World’s Rovers fan pundit Toby Wilding keen to shine the spotlight on one of their academy products who is excelling at Ewood Park.

Hayden Carter continues to improve at Blackburn Rovers

After making the move to Blackburn from Manchester City to join the under-14 side, Hayden Carter has continued to develop into a top performer in the heart of the Rovers defence.

After impressing in loan spells with Burton Albion and Portsmouth in the lower tiers, the 24-year-old has now racked up 77 league appearances for the former Premier League Champions, and rarely puts a foot wrong while keeping the opposition at bay.

The promising talent continues to develop alongside Dom Hyam in Lancashire, with his assuredness in and out of possession offering a reliable option for Eustace to rely on, as Wilding attests to.

The Rovers fan said: “I’d probably say Hayden Carter at centre-back, he’s been a brilliant option in that position for the last couple of seasons.

“He is now very much a mainstay of this defence, and he has shown himself to be a really capable Championship defender.

“He’s still only 24-years-old as well, so plenty of time to improve and progress onto a higher level.”

Blackburn Rovers in strong position despite Premier League interest

With a strong start to life at Ewood Park, it is no surprise that a move to the Premier League has been mooted over recent seasons, with Newcastle United reportedly having an interest last summer.

That speculation came to nothing in the end, but regardless, Rovers have tied their defender down until the summer of 2027, meaning they hold all the cards if a top flight club does come back in the future.

That long-sighted approach will see the Lancashire outfit able to drive the price up if they do feel the need to sell him in the future, with Wilding keen to see his side well compensated if they do allow him to leave.

He added: “I have seen in the past that Premier League clubs are linked with him, but he does still have a contract here until 2027, so Rovers are in a strong position if any interest does come in.

“I think I would be looking for a fee based on what you see players going for these days, and the level he is at, I would expect a fee of around £8-10 million.”

"But that’s only if he wants to go, and that’s certainly not something Rovers are going to want to happen anytime soon."