Blackburn Rovers in line for cash boost if Middlesbrough seal £12m Spurs deal | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers are set to receive a minor windfall should Middlesbrough secure a permanent deal for Ashley Phillips

Blackburn Rovers have had a disappointingly slow start to the summer transfer window, as the Lancashire-based outfit weigh up potential deals with money being tight, and could about to be set for a small boost to those funds.

Indeed, no new faces have arrived at Ewood Park as yet this summer, with Moussa Baradji’s loan move from Swiss side Yverdon the only permanent arrival thus far.

On the flipside, both Ryan Hedges and Sondre Trondstad have left Blackburn following the expiry of their contracts, whilst Ryan Alebiosu and Yuko Ohashi have been linked with moves elsewhere.

Links with potential arrivals have been few and far between, with the Venky’s ownership still refusing to pump money into the club as some of their division rivals have endured.

However, with funds tight, Blackburn could be set for a minor boost to their wallet if a league rival completes a permanent swoop for a former academy star.

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With Tony Mowbray replacing Michael O’Neill at the helm at Ewood Park following the Northern Irishman pledging his future to his country's national team, the 62-year-old will be keen to stamp his authority on the Rovers squad.

Having guided the club from League One to the Championship previously, Mowbray remains highly thought of around the club, and Blackburn supporters will be hoping he can have a similar impact as before upon his return.

However, he will be well aware of funds being tight, and will be looking forward to the prospect of receiving a minor cash influx this summer if Spurs defender Ashley Phillips completes a permanent move to Middlesbrough, with TEAMtalk reporting a deal worth around £12 million could be on the cards.

Phillips, 21, came through the academy at Blackburn, but would make just 14 first-team appearances for the club before making the move to North London with Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023 for around £2 million.

The centre-back has yet to make a senior appearance for Spurs, instead spending time out on loan in the Championship with Plymouth Argyle and then two separate stints with Stoke City, as now Middlesbrough look to bring him to the second tier on a permanent basis.

According to Lancashire Telegraph’s Elliot Jackson, Rovers do have a sell-on clause inserted into the deal that saw Phillips join Spurs, believed to be circa 15% of the profit of any subsequent transfer.

This means that if a deal worth around the reported £12 million mark is made, Blackburn could be in line to make around £1 million from the move, which, whilst it won’t drastically change the club's fortunes, could certainly help things around the place.

With Middlesbrough having just secured a £20 million deal with Spurs to sign English striker Will Lankshear, the two clubs will have formed a relationship from those negotiations, which could help to see a deal for Phillips get over the line.

The 21-year-old appears destined to leave Spurs this summer permanently, and with Middlesbrough looking to secure a deal, Blackburn could be set to receive some of those funds sooner rather than later.

Tony Mowbray must find a way to improve Blackburn Rovers’ squad this summer amid potential Ashley Phillips windfall

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Blackburn survived by the skin of their teeth last year, with O’Neill performing an excellent rescue mission at Ewood Park in the final 15 games of the campaign.

However, with Hedges and Trondstad having departed, as well as Eiran Cashin returning to Brighton and Hove Albion from his loan, it would be difficult to suggest they are anything but weaker.

The potential money they receive from Phillips’ move to Boro won’t be game-changing, but it may help them get one or two more additions over the line, as Mowbray must ensure that Blackburn are in a stronger place when they begin their Championship season in comparison to where they left off last time around; otherwise, the fears of another relegation battle will emerge.