Blackburn Rovers cannot be fussy if £15m Sammie Szmodics bid lands: View | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers should cash in on Sammie Szmodics if the price is right

The 2023/24 season was a disappointing one for Blackburn Rovers after they failed to kick on from their promising 2022/23 campaign, but one player in particular bucked the trend and thrived at Ewood Park.

Forward Sammie Szmodics almost single-handedly kept the club in the division with his goals, and had it not been for the Republic of Ireland international, Rovers would probably be preparing for life in League One.

The 28-year-old was the Championship's top scorer, scoring 27 league goals, and adding another six in the FA Cup, taking his tally to 33 goals in 48 appearances.

Despite his fantastic individual campaign, Blackburn only secured survival on the final day of the season and had they been relegated, they would have unquestionably had to sell Szmodics this summer. However, survival means that the ball is in their court, and they won't be short of interest this summer.

Blackburn Rovers should sell Sammie Szmodics if they receive a fee of around £15million

It's fair to say that Szmodics' barnstorming 2023/24 campaign came as a bit of a surprise, with the forward showing no previous signs of being able to score 30+ goals in a single season.

It seemed like everything the Irish international turned to gold last season, and thanks to scoring 33 goals, there are a number of clubs linked with summer moves for him.

In recent months, the likes of Everton, Leicester City, Brentford Luton Town and Sheffield United have been linked with Szmodics, according to The Sun, and while it may not be popular, Rovers should take the money and run if they receive a fee of around £15million.

Szmodics is 28, and turns 29 at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign, so this could be Rovers' best chance to cash in on him, particularly with two years left on his deal.

As mentioned above, the Irishman had never shown any signs of being a prolific Championship scorer prior to the 23/24 campaign, and he scored just seven goals in 42 appearances the season before.

The Essex-born forward was outstanding last season, but there is a risk that he could be a bit of a one-season wonder, and if Rovers fail to cash in on him, they could live to regret it.

£15million is a lot of cash for a Championship side, particularly for Blackburn, whose owners, Venky's, have had financial difficulties in India recently.

Also, Szmodics is not a youngster, so while he may be getting better with age, there's no guarantee that he will be anywhere near as prolific next season.

Ultimately, if Blackburn receive a bid of around £15million for a 28-year-old after one good season, they should accept it. They could come to regret it if they don't.

It's up to Sammie Szmodics to prove he's not a one-season wonder

Whether that's at Ewood Park or elsewhere, Szmodics faces a battle to back up his 23/24 form again next season.

It's unrealistic to expect the Irishman to score 33 goals again next season, and if he's scoring 20 plus goals next season in the Championship, it'll be a successful campaign.

Szmodics has scored 38 Championship goals in 117 appearances, and 27 of them came last season, showing just how impressive and unexpected his 2023/24 campaign was.

He may turn 29 at the beginning of next season, but plenty of other players have performed better as they've grown older, Jamie Vardy being a perfect example.

However, turning down big money for Szmodics shouldn't be a risk that Rovers are willing to take, and £15million could be a game-changer for the club financially.