Exclusive: Sky pundit drops "better opportunities" transfer claim for Blackburn Rovers star | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman gives his thoughts on Lewis Travis as there continues to be speculation surrounding his future.

Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis has been mentioned throughout the summer as a player who could potentially leave Ewood Park before the 1 September transfer deadline.

Travis is in the prime years of his career at 27, and speculation surrounds whether the midfielder could desire a new challenge away from Ewood Park this summer.

Football League World exclusively revealed that a chance for Derby County to sign the midfielder had opened up after a potential move to Wrexham collapsed.

The midfielder spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Ipswich Town, where he helped the Tractor Boys gain promotion to the Premier League.

Lewis Travis staying would be a "huge boost" for Blackburn Rovers according to Don Goodman

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman believes that it would be a huge boost for Rovers if they can keep hold of their captain as the 2025/26 term fast approaches.

"If you were Lewis Travis, you would want to play at the club that gives you the best opportunity to progress your career," said Goodman when asked just how much of a boost it would be for Valerien Ismael to keep hold of Travis this summer.

"He is the sort of player who, now, is in his prime at 27. I have watched him develop. He is consistent and very rarely delivers less than a 7/10. He has also had to play in Blackburn sides that have not necessarily been the greatest."

The former Liverpool academy talent joined Rovers in 2014 and has made over 260 appearances for the club in all competitions. He was also a crucial figure under John Eustace and Ismael last term.

"It would be a huge boost if they could keep him, with Ismael selling him the project," said Goodman. "But if you were thinking like Lewis Travis, there may be better opportunities to arise than Blackburn Rovers."

The coming weeks will be key in deciding Travis' Blackburn future

Travis was appointed as club captain in 2022 under Jon Dahl Tomasson, and is a figure that the club will be desperate not to lose.

Rovers have been attempting to agree new deals with both Travis and right-back Callum Brittain; however, the latter is now set to make a £3.5 million move to Middlesbrough.

For Travis, the dilemma centres around whether to remain in Lancashire or seek a new challenge, but it would potentially be at the same level.

His loan spell at Ipswich Town during the second half of the 23/24 season, where he helped the Tractor Boys get promotion to the Premier League, backs his ability to perform at the top end of the Championship.

With multiple second-tier sides circling and his contract running down, the coming weeks will perhaps prove crucial in determining whether the club are able to convince their captain to commit his future to Ewood Park or whether he will seek a new challenge elsewhere.