2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[aletheia]

6 hours ago, Old Codger said:

People are suspicious of Gestede possibly because of the way in which he arrived in a relatively low-key role but was suddenly and dramatically propelled into a senior one, without any explanation (notwithstanding that being the modus operandum of the current regime). Coupled with that there is the clear and obvious drive towards a low cost model that has left fans scratching their heads due to the disappearance of familiar (and loved) faces, again with little or no explanation from the club.

What is absolutely clear is that Gestede has the reigns and weilds considerable power in the current set up, despite there being no obvious rationale for his ascendancy into such a pivotal role. He certainly has few credentials, little or no relevant experience, no ownership interest, and poor communication skills in person and asynchronously, yet has been allowed to architect a veritable revolution with an apparent free reign.

What remains to be seen is whether this is a desperate gamble on the part of those behind the curtain to salvage something from their tenure, or whether it is all a bit of a Frankenstein's monster - lots of disparate parts cobbled together with the remote hope that life may ensue.

And this has all taken place during a period of sustained uncertainty for the major stakeholder group of the club - the fans (us) who have been treated as an afterthought (WE AREN'T! - Why does Blackburn Rovers exist in the first place, FFS!). So people have every reason to be suspicious - an untried experimental poorly communicated process led by an inexperienced and autocratic shoe-in, with unclear objectives and questionable tactical decision making that has created sweeping change despite there being no explicit rationale.... Hmmmm.. what could go wrong?

Now, if it was all to somehow go right, and miraculously transform the fortunes of the club, wouldn't that just create more problems (e.g. a manager who would be considered hot property, a model that would be rapidly adopted by other clubs, potential poaching of key staff etc)?

Or perhaps this is just one of those Business School case studies in 'Disruptive Innovation' that will do the rounds in future years - 'here's how Blackburn Rovers became the first small town club to regain the Premier League title' - We Wish!!

Time, as they say, will tell!

Arte Et Labore!  

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Old Codger
Suspicious? Moi? Pah!

That is what you call a great post.

[rigger]

3 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

Game of opinions, but I think this is selling him well short. 

If you were a team managed by a Russell Martin type (or even a JDT type, even though they're very different) then I can see how Travis isn't the sort you want. He's technically decent - much better than people give him credit for - but asking him to play one/two touch football isn't playing to his strengths. 

But if you want a classic box-to-box type, how many are better than Travis? I'd say he'd be a key player for at least half of the teams in this league (much in the same way he is for us).

Bottom half.

[yeti-dog]

5 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

The sky won't fall in! We've sold better players in the past.

Equally we shouldn't do what it is always tempting to do and pretend that they were never that great to begin with. I seem to remember one or two doing the same about Cairney who left to a similarly middling club for a similar fee.

(Not that I'm saying that Trav is as good as Cairney! But most clubs in the league would love to have him, and hardly any non-parachute clubs will spend more this summer than what Derby are offering for a central midfielder).  

I'm not sure about that. He's being sold for a bargain price and clubs aren't exactly breaking down the door to get to him...

[islander200]

Swansea have put a bid in for that Lorient Striker according to Nixon

[roversfan99]

I remain very unconvinced that we will bring in a striker but I desperately hope to be wrong as we really need one.

This seems like a busy agent.

[Jimmy612]

2 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

That’s because of two things…

1) A striker was not in the plan. Honestly, it feels like an impassioned purchase. Like VI and RG have twisted Pasha’s arm. 

2) The striker will cost much bigger money and was not originally budgeted for.

 

"We want some power up front to challenge the two strikers we have, we will do some business."

Rudy Gestede, 2nd April 2025

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Swansea have put a bid in for that Lorient Striker according to Nixon

He was never coming here at £5m E was he.

Bit like that CB Kapuadi who was linked with us early in the window at £4m.

[aletheia]

5 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

I was chatting to a mate earlier in the gym and weirdly I’m excited to see how the team performs. So many unknowns, that you wouldn’t be surprised if we were fighting relegation, or for the playoffs.

I think I would say 'intrigued' rather than excited. Did you leave out a third option? Usual mid-table mediocrity?

What I dislike (not referring to you here) is any kind of dressing it up (the new project) in some kind of spurious new football philosophy. The reality is that Pasha wants the budget cut and has the willing acolytes to follow through.

It will certainly keep these boards alive -will the new experiment work, come a cropper or plod along.  :-))

[Emerald Isle Rover]

11 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

They didnt have a competent left back, they were short there. 

I think he is a good signing like I said, but obviously if we are witholding opinion on some (which i dont think we should, as long as there is a caveat that it is very early) that havent started well then surely it becomes a widespread rule.

I mean theres a lot of mental gymnastics there. Discounting cup games, putting games lost into a "should have won category" etc.

I am unconvinced but equally I certainly havent written him off and there have been glimpses, there have been mitigating circumstances and there are new signings to consider. But results across his tenure overall, especially this season, are poor.

Any signing we have made this off season I personally don’t think should be judged until around Halloween good or bad 

but you can have an opinion on why say a McLaughlin will be good based on the fact he has played champ level football for a while and has been reliable 

as for the last few comments regarding results this season 

Kieran McKenna the most touted efl manager about has drew two lost two this season one against Bromley - it’s just too early for judgement in general 

[RevidgeBlue]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I remain very unconvinced that we will bring in a striker but I desperately hope to be wrong as we really need one.

This seems like a busy agent.

It is desperately needed.

We have Ohashi, who Id say is more of a number 10, Gueye, who Ismael seemingly doesn't rate and Leonard who has allegedly been frozen out.

[roversfan99]

Just now, Emerald Isle Rover said:

Any signing we have made this off season I personally don’t think should be judged until around Halloween good or bad 

but you can have an opinion on why say a McLaughlin will be good based on the fact he has played champ level football for a while and has been reliable 

as for the last few comments regarding results this season 

Kieran McKenna the most touted efl manager about has drew two lost two this season one against Bromley - it’s just too early for judgement in general 

But Ismael has been here (and so has McKenna at Ipswich) for longer than this season.

I personally dont agree with setting random dates as to when judgements can be made. But each person is entitled to their opinion. Im not saying that Ismael is rubbish and we should sack him, just that I have been underwhelmed so far with him and his results have not been very good. But early days. Also have different opinions or at least impressions on the players good and bad that have signed but again, obviously not in stone.

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

It is desperately needed.

We have Ohashi, who Id say is more of a number 10, Gueye, who Ismael seemingly doesn't rate and Leonard who has allegedly been frozen out.

I dont think Ohashi is a number 10 but he is our only competent striker.

[Admiral Nelsen]

Just now, yeti-dog said:

I'm not sure about that. He's being sold for a bargain price and clubs aren't exactly breaking down the door to get to him...

 

£3 million is only a bargain price to those with massive budgets - i.e. parachute clubs, and aberrations like Wrexham. To the rest of us, it's sadly a significant fee, especially if you're talking about a non-attacker and a player of an age where you're not going to see a profit further down the line. 

 

Those Championship clubs who want to do their Guardiola tribute act wouldn't be that keen. Other than that, I'd take some convincing that he doesn't start for every club who finished below us last year, and he walks into their XI in plenty of cases. 

[aletheia]

5 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

I think, they genuinely believe that they can use / manipulate these esc slots to find diamonds in the rough, for less money and that they can do well in the Championship, sell them for multiple and effectively fund the club, thus reducing the financial burden on their bosses.

I'm sure they do and don't think they had to try too hard to sell it to Pasha (less expenditure must have leapt out from the action plan) 😉

All about delivery then.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

Kieran McKenna the most touted efl manager about has drew two lost two this season one against Bromley - it’s just too early for judgement in general 

I think Mckenna gets an incredibly easy ride off everyone by virtue of his back to back promotions.

Yes that was an unbelievable feat, but, they spent a lot of money and were piss poor last season no matter how you try to dress it up.

Seems like they've started in similar fashion again this season as well.

[Paul Mani]

1 minute ago, Jimmy612 said:

"We want some power up front to challenge the two strikers we have, we will do some business."

Rudy Gestede, 2nd April 2025

I stand corrected. I saw that episode and cannot recall him saying we would get a striker. Then the narrative from the manager throughout the summer has been that we wouldn’t either.

If we are to get one, I’d like them to ensure this one is better than what we have. I don’t want competition for Ohashi and Gueye.

[rovers11]

17 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Swansea have put a bid in for that Lorient Striker according to Nixon

This one won't happen. When there are other clubs involved, we get outmuscled financially. Suspect the club doesn't really expect this one to come off.

Edited 3 hours ago by rovers11

[Exiled_Rover]

13 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

He was never coming here at £5m E was he.

Bit like that CB Kapuadi who was linked with us early in the window at £4m.

That and his highlights look shiiiiiit. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

I know where you are coming from, but in my own ( non premier league) lifetime, I'd say the likes of Field, Metcalfe, Brotherston, Speedie, Szmodics were legends..

Sir Roger, Ken Knighton Simon Garner.

[JHRover]

Would anyone consider anything below 7th this season to be a success? If so, and in view of last season's finish, why?

[jny]

1 minute ago, JHRover said:

Would anyone consider anything below 7th this season to be a success? If so, and in view of last season's finish, why?

Yes, given we've lost more than half the team (especially given we've lost Brittain and Batth) and the new recruits are as yet untested in this team (and league in most cases).

[aletheia]

3 hours ago, davulsukur said:

omething has deffo happened. 

We brought in north of £40m and reinvested, at best, 10% of that. This time we've brought in far less but spent more?

If we assume:

Brittain - £3m

Trav - £3m (money not even here yet)

JRC - £1m

Bucko - £1m

That's £8m brought in and we've probably spent 80% of that money?

In
Ryoya morishita 28 midfield-legia warsaw euros 2.1m
Sidnei Tavares 23 –midfield –Portugal   euros 2m
Axel Henriksson – 23- euros 860k
Lewis Miller 24 - right back –Hibs (Australian)   euros 860k
Dion de Neve 24-midfiled –euros 759k
Ryan Alebiousu 23 right back – euros 576k
Sean McLoughlin-28-centre back-Hull euros 575k
Moussa Baradji – 24 –loan 

Total expenditure  = Euros 7.72m   

Out

Assuming Travis  Euros 3.5m?
Joe Rankin Costello 25 Charlton  euros 870k
Callum Brittain 27 Middlesborough     euros 3.5m????
John Buckley   25 Al-Kolood   euros 1m????
Tyrhys Dolan 23 Espanyol –free (wages saved)?
Andreas Weimann 33 Derby free (wages saved)?
Danny Baath 34 Derby free (wages saved)?
Jordan eastham 23  free (wages saved)?    
Jalil saadi-free transfer

Cauley Woodrow end of loan
Jack vale-without club
O’riordan-loan
Dilan markandy -free
ACD – end of loan
Beck – end of loan
Dennis –end of loan
Sanderson – end of loan

Total Income = euros 8.37m

So thus far, spend = circa euros 650,000k

edit sorry that should be total profit this window = euros 650k

Discounting the shedloads from Adam etc, sell on fees for Raya etc. Also, the plenty saved on wages (Swag + players).

 

Edited 3 hours ago by aletheia

[Admiral Nelsen]

3 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Would anyone consider anything below 7th this season to be a success? If so, and in view of last season's finish, why?

 

If you offered me 8th, then I'd say that exceeds my expectations by a fair distance.

I wouldn't call it a success. Success for us in this division is either promotion or a big step forward from the previous year. 

[rigger]

10 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Would anyone consider anything below 7th this season to be a success? If so, and in view of last season's finish, why?

No, because finishing out of the play-offs in the second division, is not good enough for Blackburn Rovers.

[RevidgeBlue]

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Would anyone consider anything below 7th this season to be a success? If so, and in view of last season's finish, why?

I think 7th to 10th would be a relative success given all the upheaval if you could see definite signs that we were on an upwards trajectory and were improving all the time.

But no, of course we shouldn't have ripped everything up and started again, we should have kept Eustace happy and built upon and made a few tweaks to what so nearly worked last season.

And also once Eustace had gone, VI was completely the wrong appointment for the remainder of last season. As I said at the time they only needed someone to come in temporarily and keep the hand on the rudder and tell the players how great they were, not someone who wanted to go in a completely different direction.

If we'd made the play offs but not gone up then maybe that was a better time for the completely new approach in the close season. Still wouldn't have been my choice but we're stuck with it for better or worse.