Blackburn Rovers must only accept Rangers transfer bid on one condition | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers must ensure that they hold form on their £8 million valuation of Ryan Alebiosu, amid interest from Rangers.

Blackburn Rovers will want to be competitive in the Championship next season and they must therefore stand firm in this summer’s transfer window.

It has been a topsy-turvy few years for Blackburn, with each of the last few seasons often going to the wire but at opposite ends of the table, be it challenging for the top six and the play-off places or then battling relegation.

Having missed out on the top six on the final day of the 2024-25 campaign, the Lancastrians then narrowly escaped the drop last year under the management of Michael O’Neill.

O’Neill has since departed and been replaced by the returning Tony Mowbray, who may well have his sights set on the expanded play-offs, with them being extended from sixth to the top eight this time around, should he get his way in the transfer window.

It has been a quiet one thus far for Rovers with the biggest story being around an outgoing – and they must ensure they do now sell Ryan Alebiosu for below his worth to them.

Blackburn must hold out for £8 million from Rangers for Ryan Alebiosu

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Reports have suggested that Scottish giants Rangers, now under the management of former Heart of Midlothian boss Derek McInness, are interested in signing Blackburn key man Ryan Alebiosu this summer.

Having come through the academy at Arsenal and then spent time on loan at Crewe Alexandra and Kilmarnock, Alebiosu joined Kortrijk in the summer of 2023.

He spent a year and a half in Belgium before spending half a season back out on loan in the Scottish Premiership at Saint Mirren before Rovers purchased him from Kortrijk last year.

Alebiosu was fundamental to the positive parts of Blackburn’s season and their eventual survival, and ensuring he remains at Ewood Park will be essential.

It has been reported that Blackburn want as much as £8 million if they were to agree to his sale and they cannot allow themselves to go under that figure and be shortchanged.

Last summer saw Blackburn raise fees for Joe Rankin-Costello, Callum Brittain, John Buckley, Lewis Travis, Harry Leonard, Dom Hyam and Makhtar Gueye, meaning they surely do not have to sell – especially when considering they have also made big money sales such as Adam Wharton and Sammie Szmodics in the relatively recent past.

Ryan Alebiosu is a prized asset for Blackburn

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Ryan Alebiosu did not join to much fanfare but has since emerged as a key man for Blackburn, with the expectation that the 24-year-old will only continue to improve.

The full-back, who has played at wing-back on occasion, was rock-solid in defence last season, while also going on to create 12 big chances for Rovers – the second most of anyone in their squad behind Ryoya Morishita, creating 39 chances in total, only four fewer than their most productive creators Morishita and Todd Cantwell.

He topped their expected assists charts (6.4) and enjoyed 0.9 successful dribbles per 90, only bettered again by Cantwell, as well as midfielder Sondre Tronstad.

Defensively, he remained more or less as important with 5.4 defensive contributions per game and the fourth most of any Blackburn player in total behind Lewis Miller and centre-backs Sean McLoughlin and Eiran Cashin.

Blackburn, having finished 20th in the Championship last season, are not really in a position where they can afford to lose such a key player for less than what they value him at.

It is imperative for their summer, and therefore their season as a whole, that Blackburn ensure they retain Alebiosu, or only sell him for the price tag of £8 million that they are reportedly asking for – and not a penny less.