Blackburn Rovers have agreed a deal to sell young midfielder Rory Finneran to Newcastle United, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 16-year-old became Blackburn’s youngest ever player earlier this year when he made his debut for the club at the age of just 15. The Irishman made the appearance as a substitute in Rovers’ FA Cup demolition of Cambridge United, coming on for Sammie Szmodics, who may also find himself leaving Ewood Park this summer.
This remains Finneran’s only senior match experience in East Lancashire thus far, though he has been named in the club’s matchday squad on several occasions over the last season. He is, however, captain of the Republic of Ireland’s under-17 national side, for whom he has ten caps.
The midfielder, who joined Blackburn aged eight, has been linked with a move to the north east for some time now, with an agreement now seemingly reached. Writing on X, Fabrizio Romano says a deal has been reached, with a verbal agreement in place for a transfer to St James’ Park. A fee is unknown at this stage, but it is likely to be considerable given the hype around the youngster.
Finneran is the latest in a long line of players who have come through the academy at Blackburn and earnt a Premier League move, with Adam Wharton and Ashley Phillips having made the switch to Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur respectively in recent years. Those two had, however, already established themselves in the first team and had courted interest after a period of senior football.
Finneran has earnt himself a move to the top-flight without this, which shows the regard in which the player is held and the excitement over his future. If the move is successful, he may find himself being the latest player to reach the very top after starting at Rovers.
Writer’s View
This move has been in the pipeline for a while but still catches the eye, purely due to Finneran’s age and inexperience. He’s clearly a talent though, and it will be interesting to see how he develops at a top-flight club.
As for Blackburn’s prospects going forward, Finneran was unlikely to play much of a role this season, but his departure could help in the medium-to-long term. Rovers are likely to have received a hefty fee which they can reinvest in their struggling side, and the deal will probably include clauses which mean they will benefit further down the line if Finneran moves again. While seeing youth prospects leave is never nice, this is a deal that may be in the club’s best interests to go ahead with.
