Celtic plotting Blackburn Rovers transfer raid - £4m may get deal done | OneFootball

Balazs Toth is wanted by Celtic, but their valuation is far apart from what Blackburn want

Reigning Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are eying Blackburn Rovers' Balazs Toth as their new number one, but the two sides are well apart on valuation.

Blackburn begin their Championship campaign this evening with a trip to recently relegated Wolves, and have been one of the quieter sides in the division when it comes to transfer activity, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Last season, the Rovers squad that finished seventh the year prior was decimated, mainly due to the need to sell players in the final year of their deals.

Dom Hyam, Callum Brittain and Lewis Travis were all sold to avoid losing them for free this summer, while Sondre Tronstad did leave at the end of his contract, having not been sold last year.

Balazs Toth subject of Celtic interest, with Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper heading into the final year of his contract

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Blackburn face contract de ja vu this summer with goalkeeper Toth entering the final year of his deal. Alan Nixon reported in late July that the Hungarian international had rejected a new offer, and has revealed today that Celtic are interested in bringing him north of the border.

Crucially, though, the report states that both sides are quite far apart in their valuation, with Rovers looking for between £3 and £4 million for his services.

The SPL giants are hunting for a new number one this summer, after injury forced Kasper Schmeichel to retire at the end of last season. Finnish shot-stopper Viljami Sinsalo has started both league games so far this season, but it seems Martin O'Neill is keen on adding one more.

Despite the Hoops being set to sell Arne Engels for a sizable fee to West Ham United, they aren't willing to break the bank over a new goalkeeper. Nixon states that they likely won't go as high as £3 million if a bid was lodged, but are likely to make an offer with incentives before the window closes.

How Blackburn Rovers fans have reacted to Balazs Toth transfer update

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With how inactive Blackburn have been in the transfer market thus far, and the general feeling around the club when it comes to the Venky's ownership reinvesting money into the squad, there's not much optimism surrounding the prospect of selling their number one.

"He will go right at the end of the window, and we won’t replace! Guaranteed," one Rovers fan said, indicating that, while the club will work to get the best deal possible, it will end up putting them in a much more perilous position.

"Be same old, when we sell him. Do we get the money to reinvest to try to stay up? Won’t hold our breath. Hope this team proves me wrong but desperate help is needed. IMO 3/4 players minimum. GK, LB, CM, attacker," another said, evidently worried about their survival chances due to the lack of activity in the window.

There was frustration about the timing of the piece, with Blackburn set to kick things off at Wolves in just over eight hours after the report was revealed. Regardless of Toth's contract situation, interest from Celtic could see him refuse to play to avoid potential injury.

Blackburn Rovers will want a swift solution to Balazs Toth transfer saga

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While Blackburn won't be ready to accept any offer that comes in for Toth to avoid losing him for free next summer, there'll be an incentive to get any deal over the line as soon as possible, so the recruitment team at Ewood Park have plenty of time to source a replacement.

Aynsley Pears is an experienced shot-stopper at the level, and has been Rovers' first choice in the past, but Toth's emergence into the starting eleven at his expense last season was one of the few positives in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

The 28-year-old averaged just under three saves per game, prevented as many goals as his expected goals against suggested he should have and won Player's Player of the Year last year — so was popular amongst his teammates, too.

And despite the noise surrounding his contract situation, Tony Mowbray picked him in between the sticks for their EFL Cup first-round win at Burton Albion, so he still sees him as first choice.

Losing Toth would mean yet another position that needs improving at Ewood Park this summer, and with time running out in the window, they'll need to know where they stand in terms of needing to get another shot-stopper in sooner rather than later.