Blackburn Rovers should capitalise on Sheffield United contract situation to sign forward - he once cost £23.5m | OneFootball

Rhian Brewster once cost £23.5 million, but he's a free agent despite a contract offer from Sheffield United - Blackburn should step in with a swoop

Blackburn Rovers need to make some strong additions in the transfer market this summer if they are wanting to push into the Championship play-offs in 2025-26, having narrowly missed out last season.

Rovers came extremely close to securing what would have been an unexpected place in the play-offs at the end of the 2024-25 season, ending in 7th place in the table, just two points shy of Bristol City.

Sidnei Tavares and Dion De Neve have come in to bolster their strength in depth in midfield and at left wing-back, but there's still some glaring holes that need to be filled - especially in attack.

Blackburn only scored 53 goals in their 46 matches last season, with only eight teams scored fewer goals than them in the entire division - six of those eight made up the division's bottom eight at the end of the season.

With the likes of Tyrhys Dolan and Andi Weimann departing Ewood Park, Valerien Ismael needs some fresh faces at the top end of the pitch, and there's one free agent that stands out among the pack that could be a realistic fit.

Blackburn Rovers should target Rhian Brewster deal to bolstetr attack

That player is Rhian Brewster, who is officially a free agent after his Sheffield United contract expired on June 30.

The striker's five years at Bramall Lane officially came to an end earlier this week, in what has been a pretty disappointing time of things overall in South Yorkshire for a player who has a UEFA Champions League winners medal with Liverpool.

Brewster played just 119 times for the Blades across his five years with the club, and only scored nine times - a record which is pretty mystifying considering the potential and price-tag he arrived with.

Improved performances last season though for United across a number of different attacking positions led to a new deal being offered to the 25-year-old, with seven goal contributions in Championship action across the campaign, but he's allowed that to lapse, and he can now explore his options both in England and overseas.

This, therefore, opens a potential window of opportunity for Blackburn Rovers.

By making a move for the player now, they could get him without a transfer fee being payable, while for Brewster himself would come the opportunity of more first-team football after five years at Bramall Lane during which he didn't quite make the progress as a player that United might have hoped for.

Blackburn have already lost two of their attacking options from last season. Weimann has already left the club and signed for Derby County, while Tyrhys Dolan seems certain to sign for another club after not signing a new contract.

Brewster is capable of filling either of the spaces created by the loss of these two, in the number ten position as Weimann did, or on the wing, like Dolan, despite being developed through the years as an out-and-out striker.

As such, a move for Rhian Brewster would make perfect sense for Ismael.

Brewster made 39 League appearances for Sheffield United throughout the 2024-25 season - the most he's played in one campaign for them since signing from Liverpool for £23.5 million in 2020, following three seasons which were seriously disrupted by hamstring injuries.

One potential sticking point could be wages. SalarySport estimate his wage at Sheffield United to have been £34,500-a-week, and they estimate Blackburn's highest earner last season to have been Todd Cantwell, on £20,000-a-week.

This is something that could be overcome though. Not having to pay a transfer fee frees up spare cash from the points of view of the company accounts, and although Brewster wouldn't be a cheap option, he is a versatile one, and he likely won't be able to demand what he was earning at Bramall Lane over the last five years.

Still only 25 years old, Brewster could be a signing that has the ability for now, but also some potential to still grow.

If Blackburn are to go that one step further next time around in the Championship, Brewster could be exactly the sort of player they need.