Blackburn Rovers pushing to beat Swansea City in transfer race after Brighton call | OneFootball

Carl Rushworth has been made available by the Premier League side, with Swansea City also interested.

Blackburn Rovers are pushing to beat Swansea City to the signing of Brighton & Hove Albion's Carl Rushworth on loan after the Premier League side made him available to other clubs.

That's according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, who has said that the Seagulls are happy to let the 23-year-old out for the season, following the return of Bart Verbruggen from injury.

Blackburn are trying to bring the goalkeeper in before the August 30 deadline, with John Eustace still in need of a number one, with Aynsley Pears currently taking the gloves at Ewood Park after sharing responsibility with Leopold Wahlstedt due to an injury of his own last season.

Nixon has also said that Swansea are interested in Rushworth after the Brighton youngster spent the 2023/24 campaign in South Wales.

Nevertheless, Rovers are looking to make a deal happen, while they wait for news from Newcastle United over the availability of John Ruddy.

Rushworth was extremely competent at Swansea

Rushworth played every minute of the Swans' Championship season, keeping 10 clean sheets, but he did concede 65 goals.

Swansea finished 14th in the league, with inconsistent form and a lack of goals the main reason behind their mid-table mediocrity.

Nevertheless, Rushworth made 143 saves altogether, accumulating a save percentage of 68.8%. However, it was his ability to win the ball while in the air that truly impressed people, taking 35 high claims - a statistic that may intrigue Eustace following Blackburn's failure to deal with Derby County's corners in the opening game of the season.

At 23, Rushworth is at an age where he needs game-time to develop into a potential Premier League goalkeeper, and the Championship is the best place for that to happen.

The Halifax-born shot-stopper has previously been on loan in League One with Lincoln City, and League Two, playing for Walsall, and has improved year-on-year.

He sat on the bench for Brighton's 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League last weekend, but with Verbruggen's return, there is no longer a space for him in the squad.

Blackburn's hunt for a goalkeeper could soon be over

Blackburn have been looking for a goalkeeper all summer, with Daniel Iversen and Ruddy two players that they have taken particular interest in.

However, Iversen's high wages and transfer fee has put Rovers off, according to Nixon, and at this point in the window, it looks more likely that Eustace will bring in a goalkeeper on loan rather than permanently.

They have been targeting Ruddy for the last month, after he originally snubbed the Championship club for a move to Newcastle at the start of the window.

Swansea to the capture of the 23-year-old.

Nixon has also reported that Brighton did want to put a promotion bonus inn the deal, with Sheffield United the intended destination originally, but the signing of Michael Cooper at Bramall Lane has given Blackburn clearance to loan in Rushworth.