Blackburn Rovers told Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Birmingham City transfer makes sense on one condition | OneFootball

FLW's Blackburn fan pundit feels that Taylor Gardner-Hickman could be a useful signing on a permanent deal at the end of the season

Blackburn Rovers took one step closer to securing their Championship status for next season with a big 2-1 away win at promotion-hopefuls Millwall.

Michael O'Neill's side opened up a three-point barrier between themselves and Oxford United, who occupy the final spot in the bottom three, with their first win in five and, while far from being home and hosed, it's given Rovers a good boost heading into the final eight games of the campaign.

Blackburn have been teetering precariously above the relegation zone for pretty much the entirety of the season, and if they do remain in the second tier, there'll be many clamouring for the squad to be bolstered to avoid the same thing happening next year.

There'll be some players that Blackburn will have to work hard to keep hold of, one of which will be Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who is coming towards the end of his season-long loan spell at Ewood Park from Birmingham City, but Michael O'Neill's side does have an option to buy.

Blackburn Rovers fan pundit offers verdict on permanent Taylor Gardner-Hickman deal

The 24-year-old has been a useful addition to the Rovers fold, while not setting the world alight, but he offers good versatility, is a reliable option and has room to grow and improve.

With Blackburn holding an option to buy, and talks with his parent club, Birmingham, started to initiate last December, FLW's Rovers fan pundit, Simon Middlehurst, feels that his club should exercise the option to bring him in permanently.

"If we stay in the Championship, he'd be a good signing to make," he said. "He's been quite unlucky with injuries here and there, but the majority of the time, he's been quite good for us and would be a solid addition going forward.

"He has the experience of the league, which would be paramount for Blackburn next season.

"Even if we stay in the Championship, you can see a few people leaving in the summer, so if we can keep hold of him, it'd be great.

"Whether he'd want to come to us or not would be a different story, but we'll see what happens; it all depends on whether we stay in the league or not."

Taylor Gardner-Hickman would be a useful signing for Blackburn Rovers...if he chooses to go there

With over 100 appearances in the Championship, Gardner-Hickman would be a good signing for a Blackburn side who, according to Middlehurst, are likely to part ways with more established first-teamers this coming summer.

As we've seen from Blackburn over the past few years, they often do their shopping abroad, so having someone with the experience that the versatile midfielder has, while also being young enough to have room to improve, would be useful if they start next season in the second tier.

However, that all depends on whether the 24-year-old would be open to making a permanent move in the first place.

Gardner-Hickman's move to Ewood Park saw him link back up with former manager Valerien Ismael, who gave him his senior debut when the two were at West Brom back in 2021. Now that Ismael's been sacked, that desire to make a permanent switch could be cooled slightly.

Additionally, the way Blackburn's trajectory seems to be going, it seems that all Rovers need is a little push before they fall back into the third tier for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign, and choosing to stay there could be like remaining on a sinking ship.

There are plenty of variables surrounding whether Gardner-Hickman's future lies at Ewood Park or elsewhere, but first, the main focus at the club is ensuring that they stay up this season. If they don't, then the 24-year-old will likely head to a new Championship club in the summer, instead.