Hayden signs: Realistic last-minute transfers Blackburn Rovers should try and secure | OneFootball

Wednesday night saw Blackburn Rovers complete their third signing of the January transfer window.

Following the loan signings of left-back Ben Chrisene and midfielder Yasin Ayari from Aston Villa and Brighton respectively earlier this month, the Ewood Park outfit completed their first permanent addition of the window.

That comes in the form of Connor O'Riordan, with the 20-year-old centre back joining for an undisclosed fee from League Two side Crewe Alexandra, on a contract until the end of the 2027/28 season.

However, with just a few days remaining in the window, there is still some considerable work to be done at Ewood Park, before the window closes on Thursday night.

So with that in mind, we've taken a look at four late window signings Blackburn Rovers ought to consider targeting, right here.

Tom McIntyre

Despite the signing of O'Riordan, the injury to Hayden Carter, and James Hill's recall by parent club Bournemouth, mean Blackburn may still need to bring in a second centre-back this month, something head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has insisted on several times.

One option the club could consider here is Tom McIntyre, who could be let go by Reading this month, given their own precarious financial situation and the fact he is out of contract in the summer, which may make him an affordable target for Rovers.

The 25-year-old has some useful Championship experience that would be welcome at Ewood Park, and after left-back Harry Pickering picked up a worrying looking injury last weekend, McIntyre's ability to play on that side of defence could be helpful to Blackburn as well.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

It was reported on Thursday that Blackburn have rejected a bid from Crystal Palace for midfielder Adam Wharton, one reason for that being the fact that Rovers want the 19-year-old loaned back for the rest of the season, which would not suit Palace.

An alternative to that could be for Rovers to look for the signing of another Palace player as a way of getting a deal done, and one they should push for is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who was linked with Blackburn in the summer, could benefit from a move as he looks to rebuild his fitness after injury, having shone on loan at Charlton last season.

At the end of the summer transfer window, Blackburn's Director of Football Gregg Broughton revealed that the club missed out on the deadline day signing of a winger, with Rak-Sakyi implied to be one of those who they may have been close to signing. Given they have yet to sign a winger since then, and may need extra options in that position to cover Ryan Hedges as he returns to action after a long absence, revisiting their interest in Rak-Sakyi as part of negotiations over Wharton, could be well worth considering.

Isaac Hayden

If Blackburn do sell Wharton before the window closes, they will surely need to bring in another option in the centre of midfield, especially considering they have already loaned out captain Lewis Travis to Ipswich Town in that position this month.

One target they could consider to fill that role is Isaac Hayden, with it reported in the early stages of the January transfer window that Blackburn were among the Championship clubs keen to sign the Newcastle United midfielder, following his disappointing loan spell in Belgium with Standard Liege.

As well as providing that all important cover in the centre of the park, the 28-year-old would add some much-needed experience to this Blackburn side, with a proven track record in the Premier League and Championship throughout his career as well, meaning he could be a suitable option for the role. Meanwhile, the funds they could receive from any potential sale of Wharton, may also ensure that this becomes a deal Rovers can afford to complete from a financial perspective.

Duncan McGuire

Failure to take chances in the opposition penalty area has again proved costly in games for Blackburn this season, meaning that a new centre forward surely remains high on the agenda for the Ewood Park club in what remains of the window.

One option that could help take on that role is Duncan McGuire, with recent reports from The Athletic claiming that Blackburn are still keen to sign the 22-year-old from Orlando City in January, despite the fact they have already seen two bids for his services rejected during the current transfer window.

To date, McGuire has scored 15 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions for the MLS club, so he is capable of finding the net at a high level, which does seem to be just what Rovers need right now. Meanwhile, his contract with Oralndo is set to expire at the end of this calendar year, and although they do have an option to extend, they could still find themselves under pressure to reach an agreement should the striker decide he wants a move elsewhere, so this ought to be one Blackburn continue to pursue.