Blackburn Rovers should push to sign Ethan Erhahon and Everton forward as soon as next week | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two players Blackburn Rovers could sign early in the window.

Since joining Blackburn Rovers, John Eustace has transformed the Ewood Park outfit from relegation battlers to a team chasing the play-offs.

While recent weeks have forced them out of the top six, their performances against the likes of Burnley, Leeds United and Sunderland suggest they can be in the picture come May.

However, reinforcements may be needed this January if they're to sustain this hope and make it an actuality.

While the winter window can prove difficult to pick up your favoured targets, Rovers have to enter the window with an expectation and try to deliver on that.

The later they leave it in January, the more difficult it may become, so at Football League World we have identified two players that Blackburn can sign in the next week.

Ethan Erhahon

One of Blackburn's priorities in early January should be targeting a new defensive midfielder not least after captain Lewis Travis picked up a hamstring injury late last month.

Travis' absence has seen Lewis Baker utilised in that position but the midfielder is not a consistent performer, with injuries often marring his game too.

That should see them target Lincoln City's Ethan Erhahon, who has been a star for the Imps since signing from St Mirren in 2023.

Last season, he featured 43 times in League One for Lincoln and established himself as one of the best midfielders in the division. That he finished the campaign ranking the top five percent of third-tier midfielders for ball recoveries, interceptions and tackles won, as well as in the top 10% for duels won and successful passes, highlights just what an impressive all-around asset he is in the centre of the park.

That level of protection to his backline meant that across the campaign Lincoln conceded just 40 goals.

While he hasn't quite hit the same heights this season as last, he has still been impressive across the board and would represent a good addition to Eustace's side.

Aged 23, it is said that Lincoln would expect to generate a club-record fee for Erhahon, whose contract expires in the summer of 2026.

This would mean his optimum sale point arrives in January and Blackburn should take advantage of this and offer the Imps whatever their asking price is.

Youssef Chermiti

While the signing of Erhahon would represent a large outlay, the addition of Youssef Chermiti could prove cheap yet fruitful for Rovers.

The 20-year-old was signed by Everton in 2023 for £15 million from Sporting Lisbon but has struggled to make an impact at Goodison Park with his 20 appearances all coming last season.

A toe injury that required surgery has been the main reason for his limited minutes this year, but he has recently been back on the bench, though he has still yet to feature.

With Armando Broja, Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, Chermiti should be searching for a loan away and a six-month spell in the Championship could prove useful.

A naturally tall centre-forward, the Portuguese youth international excels at linking play, and a spell leading a second-tier frontline could be invaluable to his development.

While his goal record at youth level is nothing special, the £15 million Everton spent on him would suggest he has bags of talent and is just waiting for someone to unleash that. Eustace could be the ideal manager to help him reach that potential, and with Rovers struggling to find the net consistently, Chermiti could be the catalyst to help address their scoring issues.