Blackburn Rovers look set to announce a loan deal for Bournemouth’s Mark Travers in the coming days as an agreement is reportedly near.
Lancashire rivals, Burnley, had supposedly been the top destination for Travers until this news broke through Pete O’Rourke. However, John Eustace’s side are apparently now the front-runners in the race for the Republic of Ireland international. Foreign interest for Travers has also been noted, with Rayo Vallecano and Strasbourg keeping tabs on the situation.
Blackburn are closing in on Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers on loan with Strasbourg and Rayo Vallecano also interested in the Republic of Ireland international. #Rovers #afcb #Strasbourg #RayoVallecano pic.twitter.com/q29y3UaNrX
— Pete O'Rourke (@SportsPeteO) August 25, 2024
As a Bournemouth youth graduate, Travers has seen an impressive full season in the Championship with the Cherries, where he appeared 45 times in 2021/22. With limited minutes in the Premier League the following season, the 25-year-old featured 13 times in the first half of Stoke City’s 2023/24 Championship campaign on loan, before being recalled by his parent club and given four more opportunities in the top-flight.
In the opening few weeks of the Championship, Blackburn are currently sitting in third after three games – a massively unexpected start for most. Moreover, an incredible 6-1 victory against Stockport County in the EFL Cup has put to bed any rumours of Rovers’ inadequacy.
Since losing Thomas Kaminski to Luton Town in the summer of 2023, Eustace’s side have been searching for the right ‘keeper to replicate the performances shown by the Belgian. Travers is reportedly the replacement that fits the bill, but he would only be a temporary solution if a loan deal is struck.
The 25-year-old would be the Lancashire side’s eighth signing of the window, and would join the likes of Andreas Weimann, Danny Batth, Yuki Ohashi, and Makhtar Gueye at Ewood Park.
Blackburn’s current crop of goalkeepers consists of Aynsley Pears, Joe Hilton, and Jack Barrett – who was signed on a free this summer. Pears has been the ‘number one’ so far this season, starting all three second division games, and shared first-team minutes last year with Leopold Wahlstedt. The latter has now joined Danish side, AGF, and therefore opens up a vacancy in the union.
Having narrowly avoided relegation to League One last season, the Blackburn boss and the rest of the Rovers team will be intent on avoiding a similar scenario. This acquisition of a first-choice goalkeeper looks to be a crucially important cog in Eustace’s machine.
Writer’s View
Blackburn’s window got off to a slow start, but some impressive additions could now be paired with this necessary signing. Travers was one of Stoke’s better players in a fairly underwhelming club campaign and was recalled to the Vitality Stadium with good reason.
Having already gained vital Premier League and Championship experience, the solution to Kaminski’s vacancy could finally be here. Despite this only looking to be a temporary deal, the Irishman will add solidity and confidence to the Blackburn backline.
Furthermore, this would be a huge ‘kick in the teeth’ for their Lancashire rivals Burnley, and huge bragging rights over Scott Parker’s side if a deal is struck. This will also gather more supporter confidence in the club, by proving that they still hold great ‘pulling power’, even against ex-Premier League sides.
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