Blackburn Rovers centre-forward Sam Gallagher is a wanted man this summer but his hefty wage demands have become problematic for one interested club, according to the latest reports.
The Lancashire outfit managed to survive in the Championship this season after a gruelling campaign, securing safety on the final day with a 2-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Had the club been defeated in the East Midlands, they would have been relegated as Birmingham City picked up a 1-0 victory over Norwich City simultaneously.
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Nevertheless, the club are set for a busy transfer window, with several players reported to be heading for the exit door. Perhaps the likeliest departure at Ewood Park this summer will be Sammie Szmodics, who won the Championship Golden Boot award after bagging 27 goals in 44 matches. This equated to 45% of the side’s goals this season in England’s second tier.
The Republic of Ireland international has been linked with numerous clubs in the Premier League and Blackburn Rovers are reportedly holding out for £20 million as Szmodics still has two years remaining on his contract with the option to extend his stay by a further twelve months.
However, another forward who could leave Blackburn over the coming months is Gallagher. The Daily Express revealed last week that newly-promoted top-flight side Ipswich Town are leading the race for the centre-forward’s signature, having failed with two bids back in January.
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Additionally, Wales Online are claiming that Swansea City are in the running for the 28-year-old but the player’s wage demands are currently a stumbling block for the Welsh outfit. Gallagher is said to be on £13,000 per week with Blackburn, as per Salary Sport.
Writer’s View
Blackburn Rovers could be left quite bare up top should both Gallagher and Szmodics leave the club this summer. While Gallagher certainly wasn’t as prolific as his counterpart, the duo accounted for 50% of Rovers’ league goals across the 2023/24 campaign.
Nevertheless, the Lancashire club have quite a lot of debt hanging over their heads and selling both players would go a long way in paying this off. Furthermore, it could give Eustace a little more wiggle room in the transfer kitty this summer.
Deputy Head of Writing