Blackburn Rovers tipped to get divisive Ewood Park man 'off the wage bill' - 'It's a weird one' | OneFootball

FLW's Blackburn fan pundit shares their views on Todd Cantwell's future at the club

Blackburn Rovers' battle for Championship survival took a hit with their 3-0 away defeat to promotion-chasing Southampton, with one notable absence from the matchday squad potentially having a big effect on the outcome.

The 2025/26 season won't be one Blackburn fans look back on with much fondness in years to come.

The Lancashire-based outfit has been inconsistent throughout much of the season, leading to the eventual dismissal of French boss Valerien Ismael and the appointment of current Northern Ireland and former Stoke City boss Michael O'Neill in a last-ditch attempt to secure survival.

Whilst they haven't gone on a big winning spree since O'Neill's arrival, they have picked up crucial points and shown the consistency required to push them towards safety, with four wins, four draws, and four defeats so far during his tenure.

This leaves Blackburn four points above the drop with three games to go, though with one more game played than the surrounding sides, they are by no means out of the scrap just yet.

Their 3-0 defeat away to Southampton will come as little surprise to many, with the Saints now 18 games unbeaten, though absent for that game was club captain Todd Cantwell, whose future at Ewood Park has numerous question marks surrounding it heading into the summer.

Blackburn Rovers captain Todd Cantwell could leave the club this summer

Todd Cantwell has had a difficult personal campaign at Blackburn, with numerous injuries disrupting the captain's season.

His absence from the squad for Blackburn's trip to Southampton was just the latest in a long line of injury problems, with an abductor problem ruling him out of this particular fixture.

With just one year remaining on his current deal in Lancashire, Football League World's Blackburn fan pundit, Simon, has shared their thoughts on Cantwell's current situation and whether he can see him being at the club beyond this summer.

Simon said: "Yeah, it's a weird one with Todd Cantwell. There's been times this season when we've played better without him, but yet when he's come back, he's then made another bit of a difference. So it's really, really kind of hard to work him out.

"There's definitely a player there, you know? There's definitely a player in there that can step up. But as regards to being a leader, I don't think he's the best person to be leading Blackburn.

"You know, he's not very much of someone to look to when I think when times are getting tough. It wouldn't surprise me if we did sell him in the summer just because he's on quite a big wage.

"With that in mind, Blackburn really can't afford to be paying players that much money. So it wouldn't surprise me if we did sell him in the summer just to get him off the wage bill."

Blackburn Rovers' immediate future remains unclear amid Todd Cantwell's contract situation

There are numerous uncertainties surrounding Blackburn heading into the summer, with Cantwell just being one of many.

For starters, what division they will be playing in next year is still up in the air, with Championship survival yet to be secured. Current boss O'Neill is also not guaranteed to be leading them into next campaign, with his current term coming to an end at the end of the season.

Cantwell has yet to sign fresh terms at Ewood Park, and with one year remaining on his deal, he could well be angling for a move this summer, with the 28-year-old likely eyeing one last big move.

On his day, few can deny Cantwell's ability, as he clearly has a huge influence on the way Blackburn play, and he will almost certainly not be short on suitors this summer.

What the future holds for both Blackburn and Cantwell remains to be seen, though for now, both must focus on Championship survival.