Everton tipped to land £4m 'bargain' as Blackburn Rovers face potential 'disaster' | OneFootball

FLW's Blackburn Rovers fan pundit has given his verdict on the speculation surrounding Ryan Alebiosu's future

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Ryan Alebiosu has emerged as a potential transfer option for both Everton and Wolfsburg amid his strong performances for Blackburn Rovers.

According to ESPN, the Lancashire outfit have set a £4 million asking price for the full-back amid interest this January.

Alebiosu joined the Championship side last summer, arriving from Belgian side Kortrijk after a spell on loan with St Mirren.

While the defender is currently unavailable for selection due to his participation at the Africa Cup of Nations, he has proved a key figure for Valerien Ismael’s side.

The Nigeria international has made 20 appearances in the league, contributing one goal and two assists, with the club at risk of relegation to League One.

Ryan Alebiosu is worth more than £4 million

When asked about this interest in Alebiosu, FLW’s Blackburn fan pundit Simon Middlehurst claimed that he’s not surprised that the defender is being linked with a move away this January.

However, he believes that the £4 million asking price would represent a bargain, and that it would be a disaster if he was sold in the winter market instead of in the summer.

“To be honest with you, it didn’t surprise me that he’s being linked with other clubs,” Middlehurst told Football League World.

“He’s probably been our standout player this year by a mile.

“He’s definitely come in and hit the ground running, replacing Brittain, who last season was one of our better players.

“It doesn’t surprise me that he’s getting linked with other clubs.

“£4 million, that would probably be a little bit of a bargain for him.

“He’s obviously still got a lot of improvement, so it will be interesting to see.

“I hope they keep hold of him for the rest of the season, because if he did go in January it would be one hell of a disaster.

“I think it would just sum up what’s going on at the club at the minute, and how bad things are getting.”

Blackburn have struggled for form since Alebiosu departed for Morocco to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.

The defender made his full debut for the national team in their 3-1 win over Uganda in the third group game.

With the final not taking place until 18 January, it could be another couple of weeks before he returns, depending on how the Super Eagles perform.

It’s been claimed that Everton are waiting until his participation at AFCON comes to an end before making a concrete push for his signing.

Ryan Alebiosu sale at £4 million would be bad business for Blackburn

Alebiosu has performed extremely well since joining in the summer, and it’s a testament to his performances that he’s got top flight clubs eyeing a move already.

If Everton or Wolfsburg do sign him for £4 million, then it could prove a very shrewd move for the 24-year-old to bolster their full-back options.

Blackburn should surely be holding out for more, especially when the player has a contract until the summer of 2028, meaning there is no immediate need to cash in.

It will prove very tricky to find a replacement for him with that kind of money in the middle of the season, and could leave Ismael’s side short on quality in their bid for survival.