So Pears will likely move on now he is 3rd choice and Michalski is second choice keeper now. Very interesting

A "minor" hold up on the Miller deal. Reckon we have read that script before.

Probably drags on until closer to deadline day while the club try and flog Travis 🥲

Helps that he's a right back. Imagine he's quite far behind the others though after his injury at the back end of last season. I think he goes on another loan somewhere towards the end of the window. Montgomery is nowhere near ready to be shoehorned in the right back position in this league.

I would suspect there will be an initial agreement for him to join in January once Toth/Kargbo work permit status can be changed, with an option to push it forwards if Rovers can offload Mafoumbi (seeing as he will apparently be unavailable anyway after a foot operation) https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25363304.blackburn-rovers-transfer-latest-three-deals-close/ Blackburn Rovers transfer latest with three deals close Blackburn Rovers are finalising deals for Lewis Miller and Axel Henriksson, with both players set to join Valerien Ismael’s squad. Rovers fans have been eagerly awaiting official announcements over the weekend, with Callum Brittain joining Middlesbrough and Miller lined up to replace him. The Lancashire Telegraph understands that Brittain’s deal should be officially confirmed on Monday afternoon. Likewise, the majority of Miller’s move from Hibernian has been finalised. However, there is still a small club-to-club agreement that hasn’t yet been reached and that is delaying an official announcement. It’s plausible that Brittain’s move may not be confirmed until Rovers have finalised the last parts of Miller’s deal but it is just a matter of time. Miller has passed his medical and once that agreement in full is secure, he will be a Rovers player, joining from Hibernian for a fee of around £1million, all-in. The Australian defender will be joined by Swedish midfielder Herinksson, who was the mystery player alluded to by Ismael when speaking to The LT on Saturday. The 23-year-old is in Lancashire putting the final touches to his move to Rovers too and will further bolster their options in the middle. Herinksson will be Rovers’ sixth summer signing, assuming he’s confirmed after Miller, joining from Swedish top-flight club GAIS. It gives Ismael a wealth of midfield choice with Lewis Travis, Sondre Tronstad, Sidnei Tavares, Adam Forshaw and John Buckley already in the building. A deal for Moussa Baradji is also still on the table with negotiations ongoing. Buckley is expected to leave Rovers this window after a spate of new arrivals in his position. He was left out of the squad against NEC Nijmegen and needs to restart his career with a new club. Similarly, Aynsley Pears could move on too after he wasn’t selected. Balazs Toth will be the number one goalkeeper for the upcoming season with Nick Michalski currently ahead of Pears in the pecking order. Share

I don't think so either, but he edges Montgomery for me.. Just personal opinion though.

I personally think Baradgi deal still gets done. EJ confirming deal still on table and still in talks

terminating his contract would also involve paying it up (or at least coming to a financial agreement on it), but he probably isn't on huge money, so is a possibility

with an extra years option too! https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/july/31/rovers-swoop-for-flying-frenchman/

We signed him on a 3 year deal. At least Rudy got this one tied down. 🦾 That possibly limits us just giving him away or terminating his contract.

The only way to remove him from the esc calculation is is he is no longer on the books (as in either sold or released, he would still be on the books if loaned too)

It's fixed. He wouldn't be able to train or play for the U21's without it. (or be employed by the club) Only way to free the space up is for him to leave the club.

Work permits are government issued. Registration is an FA issue:

So no one should criticise aspects of the performance at the weekend because its pre season, but we should be assured that we suddenly are good at set pieces because of pre season? Ok. It would help to have a better taker. We dont currently have any set piece specialists.

Sorry, that's what I meant - can we de-register his esc slot and not play him without actually selling him or is it fixed once he's been given it?

Did you see the look on the umpire’s face after he raised his finger for the first one? This, and the time he took, says to me he guessed.

It isnt, of course you can be creative. But it would help if we had a good taker.

No, the issue with Mafoumbi is his work permit status (with him requiring an esc slot), not his squad registration (he doesn't need to be included in the 25 man squad because of his age)

Sums up a lack of joined up thinking. Gestede clearly always had intentions of going abroad for players, so why tie down an ESC slot on a punt on a kid nowhere near the team?

The Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden

We shouldnt need to get shut of Cantwell. We are signing players who will be coming on lesser wages, there should be enough scope to tie these players down. Cantwell is an important player.

Is it possible to de-register Mafoumbi from the esc slot without selling him (assuming we can't or for some reason don't want to) - just have him on the books without being able to play him in a competitive fixture - or is there a legal impediment to that (i.e. employing someone without a work permit)? It seems mad that he's taking up one of the four spots and wont get near the team. edit - clarity

We contributed to our own downfall by dropping so many catches, as well as a couple more brainless shots to add to the collection (and yes, despite your century I'm looking at you Harry Brook!)... ...but, you have to tip your hat to India for seizing their chance both yesterday afternoon and today and I think 2-2 is a fair outcome. I also thought there were two poor LBW decisions given against England this morning. The second one was rightly overturned (it would have missed another two stumps down the leg side FFS) but the 'umpire's call' one looked incredibly harsh as well in real time. Great series though, thoroughly enthralling from first ball to last.

They’ve been filming the first team pissing about, what more do you want?

I see Mafoumbi was in the squad for the U21. Batty with an assist.