Blackburn Rovers warned off 'risky punt' in Rangers, Middlesbrough transfer race | OneFootball

FLW's Blackburn fan pundit isn't too keen on the reports linking Rovers with Stockport striker Adama Sidibeh

Blackburn Rovers have been crying out for a potent scorer in the last couple of seasons, with no one yet to replicate anything close to Sammie Szmodics' 27 goals in the 2023/24 campaign.

Rovers were the second-lowest scoring side in the Championship last season. Their 42 goals were only better than Sheffield Wednesday. The year before, despite finishing seventh, they scored just 53 times.

Yuki Ohashi has been the top scorer at Ewood Park in the last two years, netting 10 last season and nine the year before, but a frontman who can score between 15 and 20 is paramount this summer if Tony Mowbray's side are to avoid a relegation battle.

Last weekend, Alan Nixon posted on his Patreon that Blackburn were interested in Stockport County frontman Adama Sidibeh, with Bristol City and Middlesbrough also interested in the 28-year-old, who would cost a reported £1.5 million.

Sidibeh has truly burst onto the scene over the last couple of years. Three years ago, he was preparing for pre-season at seventh-tier side Warrington Rylands. This summer, he netted Stockport's opening goal in Spain against Michael Skubala's side.

His debut half-season at Edgeley Park after arriving from St Johnstone in January saw him net 10 times in 25 appearances in all competitions, including twice at Wembley: against Luton Town in the Vertu Trophy final and Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final.

Blackburn Rovers fan pundit not excited about Adama Sidibeh links

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Sidibeh's rapid ascent through Scotland and back to the EFL has got some critics wondering if he could make that step-up to the Championship this summer, especially following the reports of interest in him.

However, FLW's Blackburn fan pundit, Simon Middlehurst, believes that the Gambian international would be too much of a risk for his side to take this summer, instead hoping that Rovers focus their recruitment on someone they know can do it at Championship level.

"I think that would be too risky a punt," he said.

"If he had bagged loads in League One or bagged loads in Scotland, then maybe, but as you said, he's 28-years-old, and you'd want someone who has more experience at that level to do a job for us."

Only seven of Sidibeh's 10 goals came in league and play-off action last season. Before then, he scored just six times in 19 SPL appearances for St Johnstone.

Ideally, for someone of Sidibeh's age, Middlehurst would prefer a more established goalscoring record, as Blackburn look to fix their problems in attacking areas this summer.

"We are lacking goals," the fan pundit admitted. "We lacked them last season massively, and the year before, so we desperately need someone who can come in and hit the ground running.

"We want someone we know will be a consistent goalscorer and who has been a consistent goalscorer throughout his time."

Since the sale of Szmodics, Blackburn have bought the likes of Ohashi, Ryoya Morishita and Todd Cantwell, who have been solid in that attacking midfield spot, but the forward signings, such as Makhtar Gueye and Augustus Kargbo, have been inexperienced and, subsequently, bad for the level.

Ahead of what will be an important campaign in a strong Championship filled with quality, having someone who Rovers fans know will score numerous goals will help ease any worries of being in a relegation battle immediately.

Blackburn Rovers could do much worse than Adama Sidibeh — but the cons arguably outweigh the pros

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The likes of Szmodics, Ben Brereton Diaz and Adam Armstrong were all relatively unproven at Championship level, but had EFL experience when Blackburn signed them, and all three went on to become 20+ goal attackers at Ewood Park.

The difference between those and Sidibeh, with the absence of Szmodics, was that they were signed relatively young, so had time to grow during their time at Ewood Park.

While Szmodics was a similar age when he signed in 2022, his previous campaign at League One level saw him score 15 for Peterborough United en route to promotion, and he followed that up with six Championship goals the year after — experience that Sidibeh doesn't have.

The Stockport striker, while impressive, is arguably worth too much for Blackburn to risk. Rovers' budget is usually never massive, so to spend £1.5 million on a 28-year-old with just 25 professional appearances in England may be a step too far.