Craig Dawson is still available: Blackburn Rovers, Hull City and Cardiff City should launch bold swoops | OneFootball

Craig Dawson could prove to be an attractive option as a free agent to clubs who are still looking to strengthen.

The transfer window has now shut, although EFL clubs can still sign free agents if they want to bolster their squad.

Whilst some fans will understandably have concerns about their club bringing in a player who is currently without a team, the reality is that there are some individuals that could still make a big contribution.

And, one player who fits into that category is Craig Dawson.

The 35-year-old centre-back left Wolves in the summer after his deal at Molineux expired, and he remains without a club.

Craig Dawson could be a shrewd addition for some EFL clubs

The former West Ham man has been with Wolves since January 2023, playing an important role in helping the club continue to secure their top-flight status.

And whilst he fell out of favour under new boss Vitor Pereira, Dawson had proven to be a reliable Premier League performer over the years, making 57 top-flight appearances for Wolves since joining the club.

Of course, his age is a concern at 35, but Dawson is a player who has never relied on pace, and he remains a dominant defender who can bully his opponent.

With that in mind, we look at THREE EFL clubs who should consider bringing him in…

Blackburn Rovers

It was a frustrating transfer window for Blackburn, and the late sale of Dominic Hyam to Wrexham didn’t go down well among the support.

Not only did it mean Valerien Ismael had lost a key performer and leader on the pitch, but it has also left the team very short on options at centre-back.

Lewis Miller, Sean McLoughlin, Scott Wharton and Hayden Carter - who has been suffering with injury recently - are now Ismael's only natural and senior centre-back options.

In fact, the Rovers boss will not have McLoughlin to call upon after the international break either, as the 28-year-old was shown a straight red card in their most recent 2-0 defeat to Norwich City, further stretching their options in the heart of defence.

Therefore, Dawson would be a sensible addition, and he could quickly slot into the starting XI.

Again, not only would he help on the pitch, but he is someone who leads by example and sets high standards, which Ismael would appreciate on a day-to-day basis.

Hull City

Hull are another club who had a turbulent summer, with EFL restrictions meaning they couldn’t spend the money that they would’ve wanted.

However, they did get deals done, with free agents such as Brandon Williams and Oli McBurnie and loans in the form of Joe Gelhardt and Amir Hadziahmetovic, ensuring that Sergej Jakirovic has a squad that should be competitive at Championship level moving forward.

Even so, you could argue they are one centre-back short, and Semi Ajayi’s hamstring injury is a real concern.

So, Dawson would beef up the squad, and he would back himself to force his way into the starting XI over the course of the campaign.

The Tigers are another club that could benefit from his experience and know-how off the pitch as well.

Cardiff City

Dawson may not normally consider dropping to League One, but he does have a relationship with Bluebirds chief Brian Barry-Murphy, as the duo were teammates at Rochdale 15 years ago.

The Welsh side have enjoyed a fantastic start under the new boss, and it has been built on an exciting core of young, talented players.

So, Dawson would be a change from that, but adding an experienced figure to the group could be exactly what Cardiff need over the course of a long, hard season as they try to bounce back to the Championship at the first attempt.

Cardiff's defence is largely youthful, with 30-year-old Calum Chambers being the oldest in that department, so adding a veteran head like Dawson could be extremely shrewd.

He'd offer excellent depth and stability, whilst also providing an example for the younger Bluebirds stars to follow.