Football League World
·28 July 2024
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·28 July 2024
Rovers' transfer activity could be set to heat up in the coming days.
Blackburn Rovers could be set to reinvest Sammie Szmodics funds on a triple swoop for Birmingham City winger Siriki Dembele, AFC Bournemouth defender James Hill, and RWD Molenbeek striker Makhtar Gueye.
That's according to journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon, as Rovers could be set to make some key additions ahead of the 2024/25 Championship season.
Nixon states that Blackburn could be in line to receive over £12 million should Ipswich Town return for Szmodics, and that they would like to make permanent moves for Gueye and Dembele, with Hill being a possible loan target once more following his stint at Ewood Park last season.
Gueye only moved to the Belgian side last year, but after his relegation to the second tier with Molenbeek last season, he could be available at the right price for Blackburn this summer, according to Nixon.
Dembele meanwhile also suffered a relegation with Birmingham to League One, but Rovers are keen to offer him an immediate return to the Championship, having wanted him under previous managements.
Blackburn supporters have had to remain patient for senior additions to arrive at Ewood Park this summer, with just 18-year-old midfielder Aodhan Doherty and 22-year-old goalkeeper Jack Barrett respectively, being the club's only arrivals so far.
But, they may not need to wait much longer after today's update. Nixon has revealed that Dembele, Hill and Gueye could all be set for moves to Lancashire before the end of the transfer window, in what would be a huge boost to Eustace's side before their Championship campaign gets underway.
Nixon comments that Rovers may have to part with £2.5 million in order to meet Molenbeek's asking price for Gueye, whilst Dembele is on their transfer shortlist along with a potential reunion with Hill on another loan deal.
Dembele enjoyed a solid debut season as a Birmingham City player, scoring six goals and providing one assist in a relegated side.
Hill is a highly-rated defender who can operate in any position across the back four, and enjoyed a highly impressive loan spell with Blackburn in the first half of last season.
The 22-year-old England youth international made 18 Championship appearances for Rovers last term, scoring once and providing three assists, before returning to Bournemouth in January.
He would spend some time on the sidelines with an ankle sprain injury, but did return before the end of the Premier League season, making one league appearance for the Cherries in 2024 at Anfield.
Senegalese striker Gueye meanwhile is fresh off the back of his highest scoring season in all competitions since his 2021/22 campaign with Belgian side Oostende, finding the back of the net 11 times in a Molenbeek side that were unfortunately relegated from the Belgian Pro League.
After back-to-back seasons that saw Rovers just miss out on top-six finishes, Blackburn suffered a disappointing 2023/24 campaign that saw the club flirt with relegation to League One, before ultimately surviving by three points.
As an attacking force, Eustace's side seemed to be over-reliant on the goals of Szmodics, and with 27 Championship goals being incredibly difficult to replace with one individual signing, spreading the goals around and becoming more balanced in attack appears to be the aim moving forward.
Placing Dembele alongside Arnor Sigurdsson on the flanks, with Tyrhys Dolan and Gueye in attack, could provide a well-rounded attacking unit for Eustace to go to war with.
Whilst getting a top performer back in the form of Hill would go a long way to improving a Rovers defence that leaked the third-highest number of goals in the division last season, with their 74 goals conceded only being trumped by Huddersfield's 77 and Rotherham's 89.
Therefore, if Blackburn can get all three signings over the line, it should provide Eustace with some big improvements to his squad, and potentially set the club up for a brighter 2024/25 season.