Sammie Szmodics and Tyrhys Dolan react to Blackburn Rovers player exit | OneFootball

Sondre Tronstad will be leaving Blackburn Rovers in the summer, and some of his former teammates have reacted to the news

It's been an inevitability all season, but Sondre Tronstad has finally revealed that he will be leaving Blackburn Rovers at the conclusion of his contract this summer.

Blackburn lost numerous players who had contributed to their play-off near miss in the 2024/25 campaign last summer, with the likes of Dom Hyam, Lewis Travis, and Callum Brittain, among others, leaving for new pastures as they entered the final year of their contracts, or were out of contract altogether.

Head of Football Operations Rudy Gestede admitted back in September that they'd hoped to tie Tronstad down to a new deal, but stated that the Norwegian and his family were keen to return to Scandinavia.

That seems to have remained the case, or at least nothing progressed in terms of the 30-year-old extending his stay at Ewood Park, as he announced on Instagram that, after three years, he'll be departing Rovers over the summer.

Sammie Szmodics and Tyrhys Dolan react to Sondre Tronstad, Blackburn Rovers departure

Tronstad was a well-respected and well-liked member of the Blackburn squad over his three years at the club. He won the Supporters' Player of the Year last season, and from the reaction of his former teammates at his announcement, that support didn't just stop at the fanbase.

Many former Rovers players from the past few years congregated in the comment section to wish the 30-year-old well wherever his career takes him next, including attacking duo Sammie Szmodics and Tyrhys Dolan.

"One of the good guys in this game, love ya brother all the best in your next step 💙💙," wrote Dolan, while Szmodics commented just one word, "Legend 😢."

Evidently, Tronstad had a positive effect on his teammates at Ewood Park, especially taking into account that he only spent one season with Szmodics before he left for the Premier League with Ipswich Town back in the summer of 2024.

Unfortunately, the Norwegian wasn't able to say goodbye on the field, as he was ruled out for the remainder of the season back in March after undergoing surgery on his ACL, but Blackburn were at least able to stave off relegation despite his absence.

Sondre Tronstad adds to the list of popular players to depart Blackburn Rovers in the past year

It's been a difficult year for Blackburn supporters, which all started towards the tail end of the 2024/25 campaign when John Eustace left with the club in the play-offs for a Derby County side in the relegation zone, indicating that to be a more attractive destination at the time than a potential Premier League push at Ewood Park.

That then led to the majority of the players who got Rovers to the fringes of the play-offs to depart, some even following Eustace to Pride Park, such as Travis and Danny Batth.

Those, alongside Brittain and Hyam, have been battling for a chance at promotion throughout the campaign, while Blackburn have been scrapping at the bottom once again to avoid relegation, and that's been difficult to see for those at Ewood Park.

It outlines a lack of ambition compared to their Championship counterparts, and while Tronstad's departure looks to be more to do with homesickness rather than moving to another second-tier side, it's yet another top player who has been allowed to walk away without Blackburn recouping any money for his services.

Tronstad will be wished well in the future, but there can't help but be a small feeling of dread as yet another fan favourite leaves Ewood Park.