Blackburn Rovers should reunite Michael O’Neill with ex-Stoke City favourite this summer | OneFootball

Michael O'Neill should look to reunite with Jacob Brown at Blackburn Rovers this summer, should he stay at Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers' objective of securing Championship survival has officially been secured following their 3-1 away victory over Sheffield United, but plans must be swiftly put in place to ensure the club does not find itself in a similar situation anytime soon.

A rollercoaster year for Blackburn sees the club end the season on a high, with Michael O'Neill having guided the Lancashire-based outfit to safety despite challenging circumstances.

Since arriving in February to replace the outgoing Valerien Ismael, the task at Blackburn for O'Neill was always a clear one - survive by any means necessary.

Having done a similar job with Stoke City previously, it was a gamble by the Rovers board, but one that has paid off significantly, with their status in the second tier confirmed for another year, courtesy of the Northern Irishman.

O'Neill has impressed so much that a three-year deal to remain at Ewood Park is on the table for him to sign, but the 56-year-old is yet to make a decision on his future, and is expected to provide an answer about the outcome in the coming weeks.

Should he indeed see his future being in Lancashire, he will need assurances of funds and signings, something confirmed via Alan Nixon's Patreon. O'Neill will already have targets in mind in case he does decide to take the role, and he should be looking to reunite with a former star he worked with during his time with Stoke.

Blackburn should make a move for Jacob Brown if Michael O'Neill is appointed

Jacob Brown has had a difficult few years on a personal level and is still trying to find his feet after returning from a long-term injury setback.

The Barnsley academy graduate was signed by O'Neill at Stoke in the summer of 2020, making 82 appearances for the Tykes across all competitions, scoring 12 and assisting 16 across both League One and the Championship.

Brown, 28, arrived in the Potteries as somewhat of an unknown quantity, but instantly became a regular under O'Neill, scoring five in 41 league appearances during his first year at the bet365, followed by a further 45 the year after, but this time, hitting double digits in goals, scoring 13 and assisting four.

His third and final year would see him continue as a regular despite O'Neill's dismissal, though he was unable to hit the heights he did under Alex Neil, as he had previously done under the Northern Irishman, and was allowed to leave for Luton Town in the Premier League in the summer of 2023 for around £2.5 million.

His career stalled shortly after making the move to Kenilworth Road, with a series of ankle and knee injuries disrupting his playing time, as Brown suffered back-to-back relegations with the Hatters, before being allowed to join Portsmouth on loan in January this season.

Since joining Pompey, he has featured sporadically under John Mousinho and looks set to return to Luton at the end of the campaign, with his future up in the air.

His deal in Bedfordshire expires in 2027, and he could be allowed to leave this summer to shift his £30,000 per week wages off the books, as estimated by Capology, with Blackburn being a potential destination for the Scottish international.

The 28-year-old played his best football under O'Neill, and the pair will be very familiar with one another. The obvious stumbling block in any move happening would be Brown's wages, and whether he would be willing to likely subsidise his pay packet to make the move to Lancashire.

Luton will likely be keen to remove his name from their pay role, with the financial hangover of their Premier League days still lingering, and could be actively looking to shift him this summer.

Brown encapsulates everything O'Neill looks for in a player, with his work rate and selflessness making him so successful during a tricky spell with Stoke, and the pair reuniting with Blackburn could be a match made in heaven.

Michael O'Neill will have a key role in recruitment this summer at Blackburn if he takes the job

As O'Neill weighs up his options, the Northern Irishman will likely be demanding to play a crucial role in terms of recruitment at Blackburn this summer.

Current head of football operations, Rudy Gestede, has overseen many of the transfer decisions at Ewood Park over the past couple of years, though should O'Neill remain in charge, the former striker will likely take a step back from his hands-on approach.

The 56-year-old will have a clear vision for how he sees his time at Blackburn going if he were to take the role, and having a decisive say in transfer decisions will be imperative to that.

Brown would be an excellent option for Blackburn if a deal can be reached, but that move is only likely to happen if O'Neill sticks around.