Blackburn Rovers Head of Football Operations Rudy Gestede has revealed that contract talks are ongoing with some players coming towards the end of their current deals.
The Lancashire-based side have a number of players who will see their contract expire at the end of the season, including the likes of Thyhys Dolan, Andi Weimann, Danny Batth, Yuri Ribeiro and Adam Forshaw. This means there could be a summer of change at Ewood Park.
Blackburn have endured a mixed season but still find themselves in the hunt for a play-off place. They currently sit 11th in the Championship, although they are just five points off the top six.
They had to contend with the departure of Head Coach John Eustace in February, which has derailed their progress somewhat. New boss Valerien Ismael is still waiting for his first win, overseeing three defeats and a draw thus far.
Decisions To Be Made This Summer
Although Gestede revealed that talks are underway with some players, he did also admit that others will have to wait until the summer to learn their fate. This is due to the uncertainty surrounding which division they will be playing in next season. Speaking to The Lancashire Telegraph, he said:
“There are discussions ongoing for certain players that I can’t mention now but they’re ongoing.
“We want to retain them at the club and extend their contract. Some players who should be official in the next few weeks, very soon.
“We are talking to some of those players. Last summer, we gave a few one-year contracts to older players because that’s the policy of the club.”
Continuing, he said:
“For some, maybe we will decide to part ways. We have a new head coach and he must assess the situation and the players. Will he fit what we want going forward? We can’t make that decision now, we have to wait until the end of the season.
“If we decide that’s not the type of player going forward, that’s a decision that has to be made by the club. It’s an ongoing process and we will make those decisions in the coming weeks.
“If we get to the Premier League, it is a different level completely. So that could also change recruitment.”
Writer’s View
It is difficult for Blackburn to make a concrete plan due to still being in the race for the play-offs. Admittedly, promotion is looking increasingly unlikely but a five point gap is not unassailable. Some of these players were involved in last season’s relegation scrap, meaning they would likely be deemed surplus to requirements should they be playing in the Premier League. However, players such as Tyrhys Dolan have been linked with a move away so the club will be desperate not to lose him for free.
