2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[DutchRover]

Barrett deal is a strange one, I think people are right to guess that he will be the 3rd keeper for the first team. It does point to selling Pears and bringing in an older back-up to Toth I think, but it is us so who knows.

Michalski I have high hopes for and I would think a starting role in a L2 side would be more use for his development than hanging around the u21s with us. Many fans place blame at Benson's feet for ruining/miscoaching our keepers, so arguably more time he spends away from us the better.

[arbitro]

15 minutes ago, KentExile said:

We shall have to hope that whoever our new loan manager turns out to be, knows what he is doing then.

The hiring of someone in that position would imply to me that the plan is to get more players out on loan than this season, and/or at clubs that are a better fit for their development

Shouldn't that job title be Loan Arranger?

That would be a better fit given all the other cowboys at the club.

😂

[Tomphil2]

10 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

That's the nature of the Academy - you have to play with the hand you are dealt. 

Michalski is meant to be talented, but he's 17. 

It says to me that the recruitment and coaching at that level is perhaps focused elsewhere.

[MarkBRFC]

15 hours ago, arbitro said:

It's the low hanging fruit again from Gestede. The real effort should be in getting new deals done for the senior players whose contracts are winding down.

This just isn't going to happen.

We won't pay the wages that the likes of Trav, Tronstad, Hyam and Brittain deserve.

My guess is that one might be sold this summer while the others walk out for nothing next summer.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, KentExile said:

The first part is true.  Michalski is Rovers best young keeper

The 2nd part could be misinterpreted.  Whilst Michalski has played for England U18s, he is not their first choice goalkeeper as your post could inadvertently lead people to believe, he has 3 caps at that level totaling less than 90 minutes, and was omitted from the squad last time around whilst still being eligible

This is not to have a dig at Michaski, just to make sure that we are not getting ahead our ourselves with his development.  He is not England's stand out in his position in his age group, he is one of several talented young keepers that England have at that level

Also, as previously mentioned, he is now 18

Given that he has played for under 18's shows he has the talent but now we need to develop and bring him through. I would have as third keeper next season with Pears going and number 2 keeper with experience with Toth as number 1. 

Barrett will probably be first choice with the under 23's 

if we decide to loan out Michalski we need to make sure he is playing regular and good standard. maybe look a loan deal with Stanley or Fleetwood or Barrow. 

42 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

This just isn't going to happen.

We won't pay the wages that the likes of Trav, Tronstad, Hyam and Brittain deserve.

My guess is that one might be sold this summer while the others walk out for nothing next summer.

I think Brittain and Tronstad will sign new contracts whilst Travis will test the water next summer and Hyam either way 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

I have seen Barrett make some terrific saves but other elements of his game aren't so good particularly his kicking and passing. He is a diluted version of Pears in my view.

Thanks for the update and the reply 

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

I suspect he has signed primarily to travel with the first team as third keeper leaving Michalski to play regularly for the reserves or even to go out on loan. However that logic is flawed to me as I believe Michalski is a better keeper right now.

I would keep Michalski as the third keeper personally

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

I'm sure Gestede will be boasting soon about the new deals he has done in Powell, Pratt, Litherland and Barrett but those kind of deals are a doddle to do as those players are desperate to sign and wouldn't have many other options. We need the experienced first team players whose contracts are up soon tying down.

deffo, we need New contracts for Batth, Brittain, Tronstad and Travis shortly at least most of them will

[MarkBRFC]

17 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I think Brittain and Tronstad will sign new contracts whilst Travis will test the water next summer and Hyam either way 

When was the last time we managed to tie down a player with a new contract who was entering there final year?

It just doesn't happen here.

[Lancaster Rover]

17 hours ago, KentExile said:

Very strange decision, was not first choice in the 7th tier when on loan.  He was signed as cover for Workingtons injured first choice and dropped once he returned, in the last few games of the season Workington didn't even bother naming him (or any other keeper) on their bench

Over 21, so if included in the first team squad he takes up a squad place too

 

He's a training keeper, at our level you have to contract lads to do this. Up and down the land clubs from Step 2 through 5 will have keepers who are paid expenses (or contracted) to purely be a body in training, both to support the keepers and lighten the load on keepers for finishing work to give the Pro's a rest. This lad will be no different, Eastham and Hilton have been fulfilling the role for us for years. 

[Tomphil2]

30 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

He's a training keeper, at our level you have to contract lads to do this. Up and down the land clubs from Step 2 through 5 will have keepers who are paid expenses (or contracted) to purely be a body in training, both to support the keepers and lighten the load on keepers for finishing work to give the Pro's a rest. This lad will be no different, Eastham and Hilton have been fulfilling the role for us for years. 

I often thought when watching those behind the scenes training clips that get released as to who these lads are in the sticks because they look useless.

Half the time just stick a hand or foot out or nothing at all and i'm like why the #### aren't you trying to save these shots you are supposed to be training to improve right ?

Seems maybe not, just pay some to put the gloves on everyday eh, nice work and i think i'd do better than some of them, genuinely.

[Lancaster Rover]

As soon as they come up with Mannequins that can move these lads will be out of a job!

[KentExile]

Time to rejoice everyone, Hedges contract option has been triggered, meaning that similarly to Hyam, they were unable to actually negotiate an extension with him.

the same story also seems to indicate Kargbo will play left wing, & Hedges right wing next season, which in turn indicates Dolan will leave without being adequately replaced

 

Blackburn Rovers have triggered their clause to extend Ryan Hedges' contract by a further 12 months, The Lancashire Telegraph can reveal.

The Welshman's terms were set to expire this summer, though Valerien Ismael made it clear he saw Hedges as part of his plans for 2025/26. Therefore, it was always likely that Rovers would take up their option at the least.

Talks about fresh terms until 2027 were first mooted in December, as reported by The LT. However, little progress has been made on that front since then.

With Blackburn Rovers needing to inform their players of their intentions by May 17, Rovers have decided to extend his deal by 12 months. That gives the two parties more time to iron out a new deal, should they still wish to.

The club's official retained list does not need to be made public until June, though it's expected to be published this week, as is customary.

There are unlikely to be any shocks, with it well-known that Rovers want to keep Danny Batth, Andi Weimann, Adam Forshaw and Tyrhys Dolan.

Ismael is confident he can help Hedges improve his output next season. Last season was hampered by long-term injuries, whilst 2024/25 saw his numbers drop after switching to the left-wing.

There have been internal discussions about a return to the right side next season, the role he played his best football in under Jon Dahl Tomasson previously.

"Yes, definitely. Ryan, I expected him to be here next season," Ismael told The Lancashire Telegraph last month.

"I spoke with him already. So now I think it's about the club (to sort it out). I think he's a player who's got that energy, that intensity.

"With my way to play, it will be good for him. It's about to get a good pre-season for all of them. If we're able to go through that pre-season.

"Six, seven weeks of hard work together to get that intensity. Then I think we can get much more out of Ryan."

Hedges is currently sidelined with an ankle injury sustained against Sheffield United. He is expected to be fit for the start of pre-season, though.

Edited 44 minutes ago by KentExile

[MarkBRFC]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Time to rejoice everyone, Hedges contract option has been triggered, meaning that they were unable to actually negotiation an extension with him

 

Personally, I don't think they even bothered trying to negotiate an extension.

This just kicks the can down the road for another year, and is much easier.

Hedges definitely leaves for nothing next summer like the rest of them will.

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, KentExile said:

the same story also seems to indicate Kargbo will play left wing, & Hedges right wing next season, which in turn indicates Dolan will leave without being replaced

we need 2 wide players aswell as players to challenge Karbgo and Hedges anyway 

[MarkBRFC]

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

we need 2 wide players aswell as players to challenge Karbgo and Hedges anyway 

Markanday will be one of them.

The other a prem academy loan like ACD is my guess.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Markanday will be one of them.

The other a prem academy loan like ACD is my guess.

Will he? he is out of contract this summer. 

I don't mind a loan player being sign but needs to be much better than ACD who wasn't good enough

Edited 1 hour ago by chaddyrovers

[MarkBRFC]

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

Will he? he is out of contract this summer. 

I don't mind a loan player being sign but needs to be much better than ACD who wasn't good enough

I imagine his option will be triggered, just because it's the easy option for now.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

I imagine his option will be triggered, just because it's the easy option for now.

lets hope not, simply not good enough and hardly doing well at Orient either. bench player there

[MarkBRFC]

He's nowhere near good enough, but I don't think that really matters here.

The only thought is "are they cheap?" If the answer is yes, then that will do.

[London blue]

Rejoice! Wide player with the annual goal return of a grizzled CB to play (start) another 30+ games next season.

Now there's your season ticket incentive.

[MarkBRFC]

Hedges Ohashi and Kargbo as our regular front 3 doesn't inspire me too much, although I do think Ohashi has done well.

[RoversClitheroe]

Hedges is absolutely woeful.

Contributes little to nothing.

[DackDackGoose]

Good hardworking squad player, ok defensively. wouldn't have him anywhere near starting line up though.

I think it's good to keep him one extra year, if kargbo doesn't work out we've no wingers..

[roversfan99]

A wide man with 1 goal and 2 assists in a season in which he played the majority of games.

A wide man who isnt quick, isnt tricky and cant beat a man.

A wide man who has lots of red flags with injury.

But hes cheap and requires no negotiation so sign him up.

[Eddie]

Hedges is a useful squad player. Triggering the extension is a good move. He'd likely be more costly to replace and I'm not sure I would actually extend his deal, but his versatility makes him useful and he wasn't bad in some of the matches towards the end of the season. He may be a good fit for our new system, but I don't want to see him starting. 

[cesus]

There is an honesty and work rate to Hedges game that I've always respected, and I'm sure if you are a full back you are very happy to have him covering you. I have to say though, I thought he struggled this season and would be concerned if he played as much next season as he did this.