Blackburn Rovers have set their sights on former Wigan Athletic striker Stephen Humphrys, according to the Lancashire Telegraph.
Despite finishing as the Latics’ top scorer last season with 11 goals in all competitions, the 26-year-old is on the search for a new club after he was released following the expiration of his contract. This brought to an end his three-year spell at the club to an end after he made the short switch to Wigan from Rochdale in 2021 for an undisclosed fee.
Humphrys’ first season at the Brick Community Stadium saw him achieve promotion to the Championship, where he helped his new team win the League One title. However, he moved north of the border to Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts on a season-long loan for the 2022/23 campaign.
During his absence, Wigan returned to the third tier, where they were met with two separate four point deductions. The attacker returned to the club to help them recover and secure a comfortable 12th-placed finish.
The former Southend United man was the subject of interest from Wrexham in January. The Red Dragons were hoping to take advantage of his dwindling contract, whilst also securing the services of an additional source of goals as they targeted promotion from League Two. It was also claimed that Wycombe Wanderers were interested.
With Humphrys now available for free, it seems as if he has attracted the attention of clubs from the Championship. Blackburn are claimed to be keen to bring the striker to Ewood Park as they look to bolster their front line.
John Eustace has already secured the signing of winger Aodhan Doherty but will need more forward options. Speculation continues to mount that current talisman Sammie Szmodics is on the verge of a move to the Premier League, with Rovers having already rejected several bids from Ipswich Town.
Humphrys looks an attractive option but it is also believed that there are a number of offers on the table for the player.
Writer’s View
Blackburn’s priority this summer is attacking options. It looks as if they have one on the way in the form of Japanese forward Yuki Ohashi, but Eustace clearly wants more.
Humphrys isn’t known for his prolific attributes, although is still capable of bagging an important goal. However, his lack of experience in the Championship makes this a bit of a risk and one they would be unlikely to take if there was a fee attached to the deal. His career thus far has seen him play just under an hour of football in the second tier. That said, Rovers came within a whisker of relegation last season, and squad depth is a must this year.
Head of Writing
