rovers11

Up to 5 years shows we have very high hopes for this guy. Think he'll be a firm fans favourite.

I expect Axel to be announced today. I think Axel and Miller will be very shrewd signings and our best two this summer so far. If Baradji ever gets done, which I think he will eventually, then that's a trio of smart signings. Aggressive, physical players who have the right mindset and physical traits for the Championship. I think Tavares is also a shrewd signing and McLaughlin is solid. De Neve I'm not convinced about but, equally, don't know too much about him. Doesn't look to have the physicality for the Championship and not known for his technical ability either. Purely workrate and versatility; perhaps a better version of Chris Taylor. A decent squad player but the issue for us is that he looks like he's going to be a starter. Alebiosu is someone who I think will be out of his depth at this level and will be shipped out within 12 months but I could be wrong!

I strongly suspect we'll be linked with a marquee type signing before the close of the window just to appease the fans and to appear like there's some kind of ambition at the club. Of course, we won't sign them and never will have intended to. If it does get anywhere near a done deal then the paperwork will be left in drafts again 'accidentally'.

We won't be signing him for now. In other words, we've spent the Brittain money on Miller and Henriksson so we now need another sale before we can bring in Baradji or any further additions. I.e we're skint.

Absolutely Ismael would have wanted to keep him and I don't think it's a case of the board not listening or wanting to keep Brittain, it's simply that the player wanted to go to a more ambitious, well run club that pays a higher wage. Under this current ownership, we're just not able to compete financially or operationally with ~80% of the other clubs in this league.

Miller is a decent signing but he's not as good as the player he's replaced, so ultimately we're weaker now.

Telling words from Brittain on his move to Boro. In reference to why he joined: "It's clear everyone is pulling the same direction". A subtle dig at how things are run at Rovers I suspect. Not the first time a player has said that upon joining a new club.

Then Buckley will have to move to league 1 as he's not getting in anyone's first 11 in the Championship. Already flopped at Sheffield W.

I think he's got potential to be a prem league player in the future hence why some bigger clubs have been linked with him, but they probably want to see him perform at a higher level first. He has all the right attributes.

The challenge is who is taking Pears, or Buckley for that matter. There's not a championship club that thinks he's good enough to be a no. 1 and he won't want to drop down a league so I'm not sure where he goes. Maybe a move abroad on loan. A lower championship club (which is what we are anyway!) or top lge 1 club may be interested in Buckley, but again likely to be a loan move. Has decent technical ability but no idea how to use to to influence games. A bit of a nothing player.

A good chance two signings will be announced today. Probably waiting on Boro to confirm Brittain has completed his medical etc and then the announcement will be timed with when Boro announce Brittain to soften the blow.

If we sign Miller, Henriksson, and Baradji then the quality of our transfer dealings this summer rockets. Not impressed with who we've signed already but these 3 players are the calibre of players we should be aiming for and will be very good additions once fully settled. I think all 3 deals will get done. Baradji will replace Travis. Still need a RW, ST, and CD and then we are there.

Swedish guy sounds a very credible link. He'll be back up to Cantwell. For what it's worth, here's an AI generated scouting report on him: 🧾 SCOUTING REPORT: Axel Henriksson 🔹 Basic Information Attribute Details Full Name Per Axel Nils Henriksson Date of Birth 16 April 2002 (Age 23) Nationality 🇸🇪 Sweden Height / Weight 1.89 m / ~75 kg Preferred Foot Right Position(s) CM, CAM (Attacking Midfielder) Current Club GAIS (Allsvenskan, Sweden) Contract Expires December 2026 Market Value €1.2M (Transfermarkt, 2025) EU Passport ✅ Yes 🔹 Technical Attributes Skill Rating (out of 10) Notes First Touch 8 Smooth under pressure, controls in tight areas Passing – Short 7.5 Smart combinations, especially in the final third Passing – Long 6.5 Capable but not a deep-lying distributor Dribbling 7.5 Confident ball-carrier, good burst in midfield Finishing 7.5 Times runs into the box well, composed shots Crossing 6 Limited usage; not frequently wide 🔹 Tactical & Mental Attributes Skill Rating (out of 10) Notes Off-the-Ball Movement 8 Sharp movement, finds half-spaces consistently Vision / Awareness 7.5 Reads attacking options well, plays clever passes Work Rate 7 Tracks back but not naturally defensive Positioning 6.5 Can be caught high or out of shape when defending Decision-Making 7 Generally calm, still developing under pressure Leadership 6.5 Confident but not vocal or dominant 🔹 Physical Attributes Attribute Rating (out of 10) Notes Acceleration 7 Decent burst but not electric Stamina 8 Box-to-box engine, maintains high energy Strength 6.5 Can be outmuscled by more physical mids Agility 7 Moves well for his height Injury Record ⚠️ Knee injury in 2021; has Crohn’s disease, managed well 🔹 2024–2025 Performance Snapshot (Allsvenskan) Stat Value Appearances 26 (20 starts) Goals 8 Assists 4 Avg Match Rating 7.12 (SofaScore) Passing Accuracy 83% Key Passes / 90 1.4 Shots / 90 2.2 Duels Won % 48% 🔹 Style of Play Role: Advanced Playmaker / Mezzala / Box-to-Box Likes to: Drift between lines and receive on the half-turn Make late runs into the box Combine quickly in central areas Avoids: Heavy defensive responsibility Slowing play down Player Comparison: Upside comp: Alex Scott (Bournemouth) or Emiliano Buendía Current comp: Jordan James (pre-Lazio) or Sammie Szmodics (less proven finisher) 🔹 Suitability for Championship Category Assessment Technical Fit ✅ Yes – creative midfield roles, especially in 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 Physical Readiness ⚠️ Needs adaptation – tempo and duels will be a step up Tactical Awareness 🔁 Improving – press-resistant but positional discipline needed Mentality ✅ Strong, resilient – managing Crohn’s while progressing Transfer Risk ⚠️ Moderate – first move outside Sweden, needs transition time 🔹 Recommended Path Ideal as a depth or rotation option in the Championship first. Could thrive under possession-based systems (e.g. Swansea, Coventry). Alternatively, consider a stepping-stone move to: Netherlands (Eredivisie) Belgium (Jupiler Pro League) Poland (Raków/Czestochowa already interested) 📝 Verdict Rating: 7.3 / 10 Ceiling: High-end Championship starter or lower-tier Premier League squad player Current Level: Top Allsvenskan / Championship squad option Availability: Contracted until 2026, likely €1.5M–2M needed “Smart, attack-minded midfielder with box-to-box drive and goal threat. Technically ready for the Championship, physically and tactically still developing. High-upside signing with the right integration plan.”

Freeing up wages from Buckley and Pears will surely mean more wiggle room in the transfer market beyond 2-3 players. Pears is an awful keeper and Buckley offers nothing, so a good decision to try and move them both on. Will there be any takers though?!

2 new signings incoming. Miller and another. My guess is Baradji. Think we were stalling that deal until we sold someone and can now complete it due to Brittain going.

De Neve, Tyjon (due to his age), and Hedges should all be back up players. Depressing state of affairs.

Maybe not a bad thing if we get thrashed today. Puts more pressure and spotlight on a very poor transfer window to date and makes it undeniable that we are desperate for more players - and not just a couple of cheap squad players who can fill multiple positions, which is essentially what we've bought so far.

Criminal that our squad has been left woefully short again one week out from the season opener. Happens every year though so it's no surprise. Hedges, Tyjon, Ohashi, and De Neve has surely got to be one of the weakest front 4s in the championship.

I struggle to get that excited by his potential knowing he will walk away for a very low compensation figure this summer or within the next 12 months

The club think we only need 2 more...

If there's any truth in the Gueye story, then I'd snap your hand off if it's a decent offer. He's a handful and a great character, but he's never going to score more than a handful of goals per season in this league. Not sure I believe the story though.

Realistically, Tronstad doesn't have much of a transfer value given his age. It therefore makes sense to keep him for another year and I think that's what we will do. Trav, on the other hand, would command around a £3-4m fee and is clearly not signing a new contract so we have to cash in if a bid comes in near that price. He will want to go and earn more given this will be his last big pay day.

Seems to be. Lots of big clubs linked with him in the past, but doubts over his fitness. The player wants to come and both clubs seem keen so I think it will get done eventually. We are probably stalling until Brittain gets sold and we have some money come in.

Baradji is coming in to replace Trav, who will almost certainly be sold if/when a bid comes in for him.

I think Miller is a decent replacement and I'm pleasantly surprised we're actually signing a replacement for Brittain. Miller has all the 'battle hardened' traits to be succesful here. Adds height to the team, can play CB, played at international level, very rarely gets beaten 1v1, and has a long throw. By all accounts, good defensively but not great going forward. Size, pace, and athleticism is a clear strategy this summer. Not sure of the calibre of player generally, but at least there is some kind of strategy I suppose! I suspect Baradji will sign at some point too who also fits that wider strategy. We're gonna try and outrun and outmuscle teams this season. Probably the right approach given we can't afford top players.