Ryan Hedges' Blackburn Rovers exit opens door for Lincoln City, Bolton and Barnsley | OneFootball

These three sides should be on red alert as Ryan Hedges officially becomes a free agent

July is upon us, meaning a raft of free agents are available for clubs up and down the EFL to sign for nothing.

Blackburn Rovers revealed in their retained list in mid-May that winger Ryan Hedges' four-and-a-half-year stay at Ewood Park would be coming to an end this summer at the culmination of his contract, and now the 30-year-old is officially able to sign on elsewhere.

It's been a rollercoaster at Blackburn during the Welshman's time at the club, as Rovers bounced between being play-off outsiders and relegation candidates over the last four years.

Coincidentally, the two years that the club finished seventh saw Hedges play 43 and 42 times respectively, while injuries halted him from playing much of a part in helping Blackburn stave off relegation in the 2023/24 campaign and then this past term.

Evidently, there's still a lot in the 30-year-old's tank, and Pete O'Rourke has confirmed that several clubs both in the Championship and League One are interested in bringing him in now that his contract has expired.

Here are three clubs who should definitely be putting their names in the hat over the coming days.

Lincoln City

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Lincoln City are embarking on their first second-tier campaign since 1961 this coming August, and they're relying on experienced heads to help them through it, both in their squad from last season that got promoted and in this summer window, with 31-year-old Callum Elder marking their first signing.

One of the Imps' most impressive performers in their title-winning campaign was winger Reeco Hackett, scoring 11 times, the joint most in the side, and assisting a further seven, too.

There's no doubting that he'll be one of the first names on the teamsheet for Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, but Lincoln do lack a natural backup on the right wing who can make that step up to the Championship.

Rob Street and Ryan One would often operate on the right when Hackett wasn't playing. The latter is now back at Sheffield United, and the former is better suited through the middle, even if his versatility is a strength over a long season.

If the Imps are set to be looking at a back-up winger this summer with bags of second-tier experience, Hedges fits that bill to a tee.

Bolton Wanderers

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It's only early days in the transfer window, but the few signings that Bolton Wanderers have made thus far haven't made Trotters fans get up out of their seats in excitement.

That being said, the arrivals of Ben Davies and Akin Famewo have been solid, squad-bulking arrivals who can both play key parts in helping Steven Schumacher's side establish themselves in the division this season.

Soon enough, there'll be some attacking additions at the Toughsheet Stadium, and Hedges could easily be among those, if they go down the route of Championship-experienced players in their late 20s and early 30s.

Additionally, the majority of Bolton's youthful frontline last season that dazzled League One at times were on loan. The likes of Amario Cozier-Duberry, Ibrahim Cissoko, Johnny Kenny, and Mason Burstow are all not there anymore, and neither are Rob Apter and Corey Blackett-Taylor, who arrived in January.

The only wingers currently at the club are Thierry Gale and youngster Charlie Warren, who was on loan at Aldershot Town in the National League last season.

There'll be plenty of new arrivals in forward areas for Bolton this summer, but not all of them can be blockbuster signings. Squad players will need to be signed, too, and Hedges could easily fill that role.

Barnsley

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Hedges may not have brilliant memories at Barnsley when it comes to his playing time, as his previous two-and-a-half-year stint at Oakwell saw him mainly as a bench option, especially in the 2018/19 campaign under returning boss Daniel Stendel.

But, back then, the 30-year-old was an inexperienced winger who had struggled for game time at Swansea City out of the Flint Town academy and that promotion squad in League One, especially, saw him competing for minutes with Brad Potts and Jacob Brown.

Since leaving for Aberdeen in 2019, he's carved out a respectable career for himself and earned his move back to the EFL with Blackburn back in January 2022, to the point where, if he returned to the Tykes this summer, he'd easily be a starting winger.

Stendel has already brought back Cameron McGeehan, who played an important part in that promotion campaign, and perhaps he could have his eye on another reunion out wide.