Exclusive: Celtic, Rangers and Bristol City face Espanyol fight to sign ex-Blackburn Rovers star | OneFootball

La Liga side Espanyol are surprise contenders to sign ex-Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan, FLW understands.

La Liga side Espanyol are surprise contenders to sign ex-Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan on a free transfer, Football League World has exclusively been informed.

The 23-year-old is one of the hottest names on the EFL free agent market this summer.

Having left Blackburn Rovers following the expiration of his contract upon the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, Valerien Ismael has now confirmed that he will not be returning to Ewood Park.

It's understood that Dolan has offers on the table from overseas, whilst a host of Championship clubs hold a strong interest in securing his services too.

Espanyol emerge as contenders for Tyrhys Dolan's signature

We may well now have learnt the identity of at least one of those said overseas clubs who've presented him with an offer this summer.

That's because Football League World has exclusively been informed that Espanyol have emerged as surprise contenders to sign Dolan.

The Spanish outfit have just recorded a solid first season back in La Liga after being promoted from the second tier in 2023/24, finishing 14th out of 20 sides in the top-flight.

Journalist Alan Nixon has reported this month that Bristol City want to sign Dolan this summer, whilst Scottish giants and bitter Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers are also understood to be circling the versatile forward.

Dolan spent time with the likes of Manchester City, Burnley and Preston North End as a youngster, before signing his first professional contract with Blackburn in the summer of 2020, and has spent the last five seasons playing a key role in the first-team squad.

La Liga move may prove very tough for Tyrhys Dolan to turn down

News of La Liga interest in Dolan's services could be bad news indeed for any Championship clubs looking into acquiring his signature.

Not only will Espanyol surely be able to offer him a highly lucrative contract, but the very proposition of playing in one of world football's biggest leagues would surely prove far more tempting than remaining in the Championship - a division he's more than proved himself in at this stage of his career.

So, this revelation may well pour cold water on Bristol City's chances of signing the talented attacker this summer, as they may well not be able to compete with the contract proposals that clubs such as Espanyol, Rangers and Celtic can present him with.