Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest seven-figure transfer raised eyebrows but it worked out in the end: View | OneFootball

It has been a good start to the season for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

Rovers enjoyed an excellent first season under Jon Dahl Tomasson last term, but they suffered heartbreak as they missed out on the play-offs on goal difference.

Blackburn were beaten 3-1 by bottom side Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday, but despite that setback, they remain firmly in top six contention.

Tomasson's men currently sit seventh in the table, just two points from the play-off places, and they are back in action when they host third-placed Leeds United at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Rovers' strong start is more impressive considering they lost star striker Ben Brereton Diaz in the summer, with the 24-year-old making the move to Villareal after five years in Lancashire.

Brereton Diaz initially joined Blackburn on loan from Nottingham Forest in August 2018, and eyebrows were raised when Rovers paid £7 million to sign him permanently in January 2019, but it certainly turned out to be money well spent.

How did Ben Brereton Diaz perform for Blackburn Rovers?

Brereton Diaz made his debut for Forest in January 2017, and he made a big impression at the City Ground, winning the Championship Apprentice of the Year award in the 2016-17 season.

However, the striker struggled to kick on from there, and made the move to Ewood Park after scoring nine goals in 57 appearances for Forest.

Brereton Diaz had not found the back of the net for Blackburn prior to the club signing him permanently in January 2019, and there were serious question marks over the decision after he scored just nine goals in 88 appearances over his first three seasons at the club.

But Brereton Diaz's call up to the Chile squad in 2021 sparked a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes, and after returning from international duty, he scored 22 goals and provided three assists in 39 appearances during the 2021-22 campaign.

Brereton Diaz's form declined slightly last season, but he still remained a significant threat for Rovers, netting 16 goals and providing four assists in 55 appearances, and he joined Villareal on a free transfer this summer at the end of his contract.

While Blackburn will have been delighted with Brereton Diaz's performances on the pitch, they may be disappointed they did not receive a sizeable transfer fee for his services.

There was plenty of interest in Brereton Diaz, with Everton, West Ham United, Leeds United and Newcastle United all said to have been keen in January, but Rovers were reluctant to lose their talisman in the middle of a promotion push, and their £15 million valuation proved to be a stumbling block.

It has been tough for Brereton Diaz at Villareal, and he has yet to score in 14 appearances for the La Liga outfit, while he has failed to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up.

TEAMtalk reported last month that Burnley, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion were eyeing a potential loan move for Brereton Diaz in January, and Rovers supporters will desperately hoping that Brereton Diaz does not join the Clarets.

A move to Turf Moor would likely be seen as a betrayal by the Blackburn fan base, but there is no doubt that his time at Ewood Park has to be seen as a success.