Hull City and Millwall are believed to be targeting a move for unhappy defender Callum Brittain.
The 27-year-old full-back is attracting strong interest from both Championship clubs amid uncertainty over his Blackburn Rovers future, SportsBoom has exclusively revealed.
Brittain Edges Towards Exit After Refusing to Play
Brittain’s future at Blackburn looks increasingly uncertain after the defender reportedly refused to feature in a recent pre-season friendly against Accrington Stanley. The full-back, who has just one year remaining on his contract, is understood to be keen on a move away following three years at Ewood Park.
Rovers manager Valérien Ismaël was said to be blindsided by Brittain’s refusal to play, a move that has further intensified speculation over his departure. Derby County have already seen two offers submitted, with the second believed to be closer to Blackburn’s valuation. Middlesbrough also had a bid turned down earlier in the window.
Hull City and Millwall have now joined the pursuit, confident they can offer the right project to tempt the experienced full-back to leave Lancashire. Both clubs are seeking to bolster their defences ahead of what promises to be a competitive Championship campaign.
Blackburn Hold Out for Higher Fee
Although a fee in the region of £3 million has been mentioned, it is thought Blackburn are looking for something closer to £4 million. With Danny Batth and Andreas Weimann already making the switch to Derby, there are also questions around whether Rovers would allow a third player to join the same divisional rival.
Despite the tension, Brittain has now travelled to Spain with the Blackburn squad for their pre-season training camp. The club begin their Championship campaign away to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 9 August, followed by an EFL Cup tie against Bradford City.
Over the past three seasons, Brittain has made 113 appearances for Rovers and was a key figure in last term’s seventh-place finish. He also boasts 180 Championship appearances across spells with MK Dons, Barnsley, and Blackburn, giving him the type of experience highly valued by promotion-chasing clubs.
Rovers have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Sidnei Tavares, Dion De Neve, and Sean McLoughlin. Young right-back Ryan Alebiosu has also arrived, but Ismaël is reportedly still in the market for a more seasoned option should Brittain move on.
Writer’s View
This feels like the end of the road for Callum Brittain at Blackburn. A refusal to play in pre-season rarely ends in reconciliation, and with clubs like Hull, Millwall, and Derby circling, there is no shortage of options. Brittain’s Championship pedigree makes him a valuable asset, but if Blackburn can push the fee towards £4 million, a sale could make sense.
With replacements already arriving and tensions behind the scenes, holding on may be more disruptive than beneficial. For all parties, a well-handled transfer might now be the most pragmatic solution.
