Exclusive: Blackburn Rovers star "worthy" of transfer but Sky Sports pundit wouldn't be surprised if he stayed | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has given his thoughts on Lewis Travis' situation at Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis has attracted significant attention from several Championship clubs, with the player entering the final year of his contract.

Travis has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the summer transfer window. FLW exclusively revealed that Derby County's chance to sign the 27-year-old had opened up due to Wrexham cooling their interest.

The connection to Derby stems from his relationship with John Eustace, who managed the midfielder at Blackburn before leaving to become the Rams' head coach in February.

Eustace was very close to Travis during their time together at Ewood Park, with the player describing their relationship as significant. "I was very close to him, so it is hard to see a gaffer you're so close to leave," Travis told BBC Radio Lancashire following Eustace's departure.

Sky Sports pundit offers perspective on Lewis Travis

Travis has been reportedly valued at around £2m by Rovers, with the club hoping to create somewhat of a bidding war among interested parties rather than lose their captain for nothing next summer.

Speaking exclusively to FLW about the speculation surrounding Travis, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie offered a balanced view on the situation that has gripped Rovers fans throughout the summer window so far.

"I mean, he’s one of them players - I’ve said this many times - at this level he’s very good," Hendrie told FLW.

"He had another good season, he’s a big player for the football club, and you do sort of think to yourself with all the interest of him being linked away, is it actually going to happen. That’ll be the interesting factor."

The former Aston Villa star, who earned one England cap during his playing career, went on to suggest that Travis has earned the right to make a move if the opportunity arises.

"I do think he’s well, well, worthy of getting the move, but then you think to yourself, Blackburn should be looking to sort of build the team around what he is and what he’s done so far," Hendrie added.

However, the 48-year-old remained cautious about whether any speculation would materialise into concrete action, pointing to the supposed stall of interest from potential clubs.

"It wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up staying," he concluded.

Travis' importance to Blackburn Rovers

Travis has been a crucial figure for Blackburn - throughout the 24/25 season he made 38 league appearances and scored two goals, while playing primarily as a defensive midfielder.

The former Liverpool academy youngster joined Blackburn in 2014 and has made over 260 appearances for the Lancashire outfit across all competitions. He was appointed captain in 2022 under Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Rovers are struggling to agree new deals with both Travis and right-back Callum Brittain - with the latter's move to Middlesbrough at risk of collapsing, according to Football Insider.

For Travis, the dilemma centres around whether to remain in Lancashire or seek a new challenge - but it would potentially be at the same level. His loan spell at Ipswich Town during the second half of the 23/24 season, where he helped the Tractor Boys get promotion to the Premier League, backs his ability to perform at the top end of the Championship.

With multiple second-tier sides circling and his contract running down, the coming weeks will perhaps prove crucial in determining whether Blackburn can convince their captain to commit his future to Ewood Park or whether he will seek pastures new.