Blackburn Rovers supporters will be frustrated over £2.5m Middlesbrough, Callum Brittain development - it was inevitable | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers are at the risk of repeating past mistakes with their latest transfer window setbacks.

Blackburn Rovers have been hit with a double-whammy transfer setback this week that will have supporters reeling.

It has been reported by Alan Nixon that Middlesbrough have made an offer worth £2.5 million for Callum Brittain, and whilst that hasn't been turned down or accepted just yet, there's a sense of inevitability at what happens next after he refused to play in Saturday's pre-season clash with Accrington Stanley.

The defender is out of contract in 2026, which has left the Lancashire outfit at risk of needing to cash in on the player this summer in order to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of next season.

The full-back has been a key part of the Blackburn side since joining from Barnsley in 2022, and his departure would be a real blow to Valerien Ismael, who also had him as part of his squad at the Tykes.

It has also been claimed by journalist Elliot Jackson that the club’s proposed move for Yverdon Sport midfielder Moussa Baradji has hit a stumbling block, with talks stalling going into the weekend in another blow.

Blackburn Rovers supporters will be getting flashbacks to transfer mishaps of the past

Blackburn’s recent reputation in the transfer market hasn’t been strong, with the club losing key players like Ben Brereton Diaz, Joe Rothwell and Darragh Lenihan as free agents.

Their disastrous attempts at signing Lewis O’Brien and Duncan McGuire last year will also live long in infamy, with the club twice failing to get deals over the line due to administrative errors.

In the case of Amercian striker McGuire, he saw two separate moves to Rovers fall through in one transfer window, the second time of which was due to late submission of paperwork.

And in another club error, the documents for O'Brien's move weren't submitted before the 2023 winter transfer deadline, and so neither player ended up moving to Ewood Park.

But now the double whammy of the developments surrounding Brittain and Baradji will have fans worrying that more bad times are coming in the transfer market.

It’s been claimed that Blackburn right-back Brittain was close to agreeing terms on a new deal, but now this offer from Boro has led to talks stalling, and now he wants the move to Teesside.

While it’s understood that the Lancashire outfit are seeking more than £2.5 million, it’s clear from this first offer that the club won’t be extracting as big a fee as they could because of the player’s contract status.

Meanwhile, a move for Baradji looked promising, with it being reported that it could be sealed at a cost of £1.5 million.

It was hoped that the midfielder could even have his move completed by the weekend, which would’ve made him available to feature in their pre-season friendly against Accrington Stanley.

But, despite Blackburn flying the player into Lancashire earlier this week to complete his medical, the deal now looks to have hit a frustrating snag, with it remaining to be seen whether the two clubs can conclude the transfer in the coming days.

Blackburn Rovers’ transfer window can still come good

Blackburn have already completed three signings this summer, bringing in Sidnei Tavares, Dion De Neve and Ryan Alebiosu to add to their midfield and full-back options.

This is a positive start to the window overall, with Ismael getting the chance to shape the squad to his liking for the first time after joining the club in February.

Given how close the team came to a play-off place last season, the club should be pushing to get active early in the market to get deals over the line that might help bridge the two-point gap to sixth-place Bristol City from last season.

But these setbacks this week will have supporters on red alert, especially as losing someone of Brittain’s importance would be a blow.

He contributed two goals and five assists in the previous campaign, and has generally been a hugely consistent and strong performer since his difficult first year at the club.

If Brittain does depart, and Baradji’s deal falls through, then it will show that Blackburn are still making the same transfer mistakes as they have been in the past - although it falls way short of the repeated deadline day mishaps when it comes to paperwork.