Harry Leonard: The clear winners from Blackburn Rovers’ summer transfer window so far
Compared to many in the Championship, it has been a quiet summer transfer window so far for Blackburn Rovers.
Having only avoided relegation to League One on the final day of last season, there is a clear need to strengthen the squad at Ewood Park this summer.
However, little business has been done in terms of incomings, while departures have seen the exits of goalkeeper Leo Wahlstedt and striker Semir Telalovic after just a year with the club.
As a result, pressure is building on those in charge to get more business done, if John Eustace’s side are to have a chance of being competitive in the coming campaign.
It does though, arguably benefit some of those who are already on the books of the club as well, given the impact it may have on their prospects for the coming campaign.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at two clear winners from Blackburn Rovers’ transfer dealings – or lack of – so far this summer, right here.
Harry Leonard
After making his first senior appearances for the club during the 2022/23 campaign, Harry Leonard took another step forward last season, with his first goals in men’s club football.
The young centre-forward does still need to become more clinical, but he is one who finds himself in the right positions.
He had been starting to take some of those chances, before injury brought his campaign to a premature end earlier this year.
Blackburn did then miss having Leonard as an option from the bench late in the campaign, and he is now working his way towards a return to fitness.
With Telalovic now gone, Sam Gallagher facing an uncertain future as he enters the final year of his contract at Ewood Park, and no new strikers signed, Leonard is one option Eustace may have to turn to when he is back up to fitness.
If that proves to be the case, then it would give the 20-year-old a chance to quickly re-establish himself in the first-team, even after so long out of action, potentially making that spot his own, if he can build on the potential he has shown already.
Connor O’Riordan
Having joined Blackburn from Crewe Alexandra back in the January transfer window, it has been a frustrating first few months at Ewood Park for Connor O’Riordan.
The centre-back managed just two brief substitute appearances during the second-half of last season, after completing his move to Lancashire.
Right now though, there could be an opportunity for him to change that. Scott Wharton is already ruled out for much of the 2024/25 campaign due to injury. It also remains to be seen if Kyle McFadzean will extend his contract with Rovers.
Combined with a lack of centre-back signings so far, that means O’Riordan now finds himself being pushed up the pecking order for Eustace’s side for the time being.
That will give him the opportunity to also make a case to be more heavily involved in the coming campaign, which would give him his first real to experience and show what he can do in Championship football for Blackburn.
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