Blackburn Rovers backed to rival Celtic for signing - ‘Stranger things have happened’ | OneFootball

Blackburn are interested in Dundee keeper Jon McCracken, although they could face competition for the stopper from Celtic.

Blackburn have taken huge strides towards safety under Michael O’Neill after picking up eight points from their previous four games.

The decision to appoint Michael O’Neill has turned out to be an inspired one, with the Northern Ireland chief having made Rovers hard to beat, and they now have a six-point cushion over the bottom three.

Whilst they still have work to do, and O’Neill won’t allow complacency, it does appear Blackburn can plan for life in the Championship next season.

Once safety is confirmed, the immediate priority will be finalising a permanent head coach, and then attention will switch to improving the squad, as it’s clear there are areas that they need to address.

Blackburn and Celtic interested in Dundee’s Jon McCracken

Work will already be taking place in the background on potential new recruits, and bringing in a new keeper could be on the radar for Blackburn.

Balazs Toth has been very good since O’Neill arrived, and he made a fantastic save in the 0-0 draw against West Brom last time out. However, his contract expires in 2027, and he hasn’t always convinced, and it’s a similar story with Aynsley Pears, who is on the bench, having previously been Rovers’ number one.

Blackburn have been linked with Dundee’s Jon McCracken in the past, with the 25-year-old out of contract at Dens Park in the summer after an impressive individual campaign.

Yet, any deal won’t be straightforward, as reports have claimed Celtic are ready to rival Blackburn for McCracken’s signature.

The chance to join the Glasgow giants may appeal to McCracken, as they are virtually guaranteed European football every season, and they expect to win trophies domestically every season.

It could be difficult for Rovers to compete with that, but, when quizzed by FLW on the prospect of trying to beat Celtic to the signing of McCracken, Blackburn fan pundit Simon Middlehurst urged the club not to give up, as he explained why it could be a signing they may need to make.

“It’s definitely worth pursuing. I think Toth could leave at the end of the season as he will enter the final year of his contract. Aynsley Pears was the number one, but he hasn’t been able to quite hold down that spot either, so I could see him leaving as well, so we will need to look for a new keeper to come in.

“However (Celtic’s interest), regardless of the level of Scottish football, the chance to play in Europe may lure someone in, as opposed to playing for Blackburn in the Championship, but, you never know, stranger things have happened.”

Jon McCracken would be a smart signing for Blackburn

We know the issues Blackburn fans understandably have with their owners, so there won’t be much faith in the hierarchy to get things right this summer, as some huge decisions are looming.

Keeping O’Neill for the long-term would be great for Rovers, but, either way, it’s clear they need to add to the squad.

McCracken has done well north of the border, and he could quite easily come in as the number one at Ewood Park, and, given his age, he could be a long-term solution in that position.

Obviously, it won’t be easy to seal a deal if Celtic do formalise their interest with a contract offer to the stopper, but he may not play every week at Parkhead, which could be a decisive factor.

So, it’s certainly one for Blackburn to explore, and given their budget, it’s the sort of addition they should look to be making if possible.