Blackburn Rovers & Portsmouth eyeing £2m West Brom defender | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth are eyeing a loan deal for a player West Brom signed from Chelsea recently...

West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth, and Blackburn Rovers are all clubs that will be looking to kick on in 2026/27 after finishing in the bottom seven in the Championship last season.

Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth will head into the 2026/27 Championship season believing they are capable of much more than they produced last time around, alongside a resurgent West Bromwich Albion side under James Morrison.

Each club endured a disappointing campaign by their own standards overall, with expectations ultimately falling somewhat short or miles short of reality. Given their history, fanbases, and ambitions, simply drifting around the bottom half and mid-table is unlikely to satisfy anyone associated with those clubs.

There is even greater incentive to mount a promotion push this season, with the Championship play-offs now extending down to eighth place. That offers more clubs a realistic route to the Premier League, although the introduction of Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules means spending must still be carefully managed.

Alfie Gilchrist eyed by Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth

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Rather than splashing out on expensive permanent transfers, some clubs may instead look to the loan market after the recent rule change, where quality can often be secured without the same long-term financial commitment. Striking the right balance between ambition and sustainability could prove to be crucial.

It already promises to be another fiercely competitive Championship campaign, which is why the Premier League loan market will often be looked at. However, there will also be players that move between clubs in the second tier, be that on loan or permanently.

It appears both Blackburn and Portsmouth are keen on striking such an agreement with West Brom. The Baggies only signed Alfie Gilchrist permanently a year ago for £2 million but the versatile defender only made 15 appearances after joining from Chelsea.

The 22-year-old is a product of their academy, having come through the ranks at Cobham. He had a more productive loan spell with Sheffield United a year ago, making 32 appearances for Chris Wilder.

He could be on the move again though, as Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam claims that Gilchrist is being eyed as a loan target for both Portsmouth and Blackburn this summer.

He is capable of operating as either a central defender or at right-back, and appears to be out of favour at The Hawthorns after just one year, with a temporary switch to a Championship rival of the Baggies potentially in the offing.

Alfie Gilchrist needs a fresh start to get his career back on track.

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Unfortunately, Gilchrist has somewhat lost his way but there is clearly a player of talent and quality there. Ed Brand, a former coach of Gilchrist's, spoke via Chelsea's official website in April 2024 and said: "You will never hear anyone question the character of Alfie Gilchrist.

"He loves his football, he loves the club and he gives his all every single day. He is a pleasure to work with.

"Something that has stood out with Alfie is he has genuine desire to defend his goal... you can't underestimate having that desire in a defender.

"There are no airs or graces with Alfie. He gets his head down, he does his work and contributes to the team... I can't speak highly enough of him."