It is currently less than a week till Blackburn Rovers begin the 2024/25 Championship season.
On Friday, August 9, John Eustace’s team will play Derby County at Ewood Park in front of the Sky Sports cameras to kick off their campaign. The Lancashire club will be eager for a strong start against one of the newly promoted teams after only finishing 19th in the second-tier standings the previous season, three points clear of the relegation zone.
Blackburn’s summer transfer season is getting off to a slow start, but things are picking up in the market as they try to add some much-needed reinforcements to their squad. But, a lot more work needs to be done before anyone associated with the team can feel secure before the game against the Rams. In light of that, we’ve looked at two acquisitions Blackburn Rovers ought to consider making prior to that Friday night’s match, right here.
James Hill
Last weekend, there were rumors circulating that James Hill, a defender for Bournemouth, would be considering returning on loan to Ewood Park. Before being called back by the Cherriers during the January transfer window, the center-back was a great addition during his first half of the previous season while on loan at Rovers. Therefore, the fans would undoubtedly support his return to Blackburn for a second stint with the team.
Given that Rovers still appear to require some additional depth at center back, it would also be a necessary move to allow Eustace to play either a three- or a four-man defense, as he like. In addition, Hill demonstrated during his initial stint in Lancashire that he is capable of playing right back. Considering that they lack veteran coverage and competition for Callum Brittain in that position, this might possibly be a significant transfer.
A return to Ewood Park for Hill, could therefore be a sensible move for Blackburn to make over the coming days.
James Hill 2023/24 Championship stats for Blackburn Rovers – from SofaScore
Appearances
18
Goals
1
Assists
3
Pass Success Rate
79%
Interceptions per Game
1.6
Tackles per Game
1.8
Balls Recovered per Game
4.2
Clearances per Game
3.5
Duel Success Rate
61%
Bartosz Bialkowski
For the remainder of the summer and even in the run-up to the Derby game, a new goalkeeper needs to be top of the priority list after Leo Wahlstedt was sold earlier this summer. Since Aynsley Pears, their lone senior option, was far from flawless in the previous season, it appears that the upcoming campaign will require an experienced mind in between the posts. Thus, in the not too distant future, Bartosz Bialkowski’s transfer might turn out to be a wise commercial decision for Blackburn.
After leaving Millwall this summer after his contract at The Den expired, the Pole is currently a free agent. In light of their apparent need to operate on a tight budget this summer, Rovers may find this to be a reasonable deal. Additionally, Bialkowski, who is 37 years old, offers the exact kind of expertise the team seems to be seeking. For supporters of Blackburn, having a safe set of hands before the season starts would also be a positive development, therefore they should investigate this signing over the coming days.
…