Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael has warned of an increasingly fierce Championship battle next season.
The head coach believes the rise of well-backed clubs like Birmingham City and Wrexham will make promotion a tougher task in 2025/26.
Ismael outlines recruitment strategy amid rising competition
Valerien Ismael has expressed concern about the financial clout of newly promoted sides Birmingham City and Wrexham, both of whom arrive in the Championship with major backing from high-profile American investors. Birmingham are part-owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, while Wrexham’s rise has been fuelled by the global spotlight brought by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The Blackburn Rovers head coach said their presence, along with the addition of relegated Premier League teams flush with parachute payments, will significantly raise the standard in England’s second tier.
“We know how the Championship is. Next season will be a really tough league again. From the Premier League, the curve is coming up. From League One with Birmingham and Wrexham, then we’ll have more teams with a big budget for sure. So it will be a big competitive league again.”
Despite the financial disparity, Ismael is adamant that Rovers can remain competitive with smart recruitment and continuity. He is targeting six new signings, but insists maintaining squad stability is just as important.
“Not to start from nil,” Ismael stressed, as he looks to build on recent months where he’s had the opportunity to evaluate his team in both favourable and challenging situations.
With that time already banked, he believes Rovers will enter pre-season in a far better place.
“Now a lot of players know the principle, what we expected. So now you can imagine with that positivity plus a good pre-season, I think that we will have more clarity. If we can add some quality in some positions… then I think we’ll be able to go again.”
Focus shifts to planning and preparation
While some players head off for their summer breaks, Ismael will remain at the training ground to oversee the early stages of preparation for the 2025/26 campaign. With contract decisions and transfer targets to assess, meetings are scheduled before the head coach takes time off with his family.
“We will have meetings and look at what we must improve. After, I will go back to my family to be a dad. Then we will recover, reset and go on our holidays in June. Be back ready for the end of June.”
Writer’s View
Blackburn Rovers may not be among the financial heavyweights of next season’s Championship, but Valerien Ismael is right to focus on clarity, consistency, and smart planning. With ambitious clubs flooding the division and a likely uptick in spending, Rovers’ margin for error shrinks.
However, Ismael’s early groundwork and tactical identity could offer a vital head start — provided the club delivers the targeted reinforcements in key areas.
