Linfield starlet Aodhan Doherty eager to take chance of playing in England as he signs three-year deal at Blackburn Rovers
The winger has made the move to Ewood Park after making the breakthrough at Linfield last season and is expected to link-up with Rovers’ U21 side.
Doherty recently made his Northern Ireland Under-18 international debut, alongside new Rovers team-mate Tom Atcheson, in a game against England at St. George’s Park.
He would go on and make 13 first-team appearances for the Blues and was involved in last year’s European squads.
Speaking after his move was completed, Doherty told Blackburn Rovers’ official website: “I’m very happy to be here. I’m glad it’s got sorted and hopefully I can get going from the very start and do the best that I can and work my way up to the first team.
“It’s a very big move for me and my family. I’ve always dreamt of being a professional footballer and so I’m glad to come over here and get a chance to play in England, and hopefully I can succeed.
“Wherever you’re from, playing in England is always where you want to play. Especially if you’re from Northern Ireland, not too many people get the chance to play in England, so I’m glad to be one of the lucky ones.
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2 Blackburn Rovers players likely to follow Sammie Szmodics out of Ewood Park
Even if Szmodics stays, there will likely be exits from Ewood Park this summer
Szmodics’ impressive season makes him a top target, but Blackburn has the upper hand with contract and finances. Sam Gallagher could be on his way out to Ipswich Town, providing a win-win situation for the player and clubs.
Leo Wahlstedt’s struggles at Blackburn could lead to a move to Aarhus, benefiting all parties involved.
One Blackburn Rovers player who is certain to be the subject of plenty of speculation in the summer transfer window, is Sammie Szmodics.
The attacking midfielder enjoyed an incredible 2023/24 campaign for the Ewood Park club, scoring 33 goals in all competitions, his best individual season by some distance.
As a result of that form, there will surely be a number of other teams who show an interest in the Republic of Ireland international this summer.
However, Blackburn themselves, will not see it as a certainty that he leaves in the next few months.
There are still two years remaining on his contract at Ewood Park, with the option to extend that deal by a further year as well.
Meanwhile, they still have money to spend from the club record sale of Adam Wharton back in the winter window, and the sell-on fee for when David Raya’s move to Arsenal becomes permanent.
All of that means they are under no pressure to sell Szmodics this summer, and so can demand a high price for him, which clubs may be hesitant to pay now that he is 28-years-old already.
Even so, while that means there is a chance that he will stay at Blackburn this summer, there are likely to be others who will be leaving Ewood Park in that period.
Indeed, selling those individuals could even ease the pressure further on Rovers, when it comes to the future of their talisman.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at two players other than Szmodics who could well be set to leave Blackburn this summer, right here.
Sam Gallagher
Back in the January transfer window, Ipswich Town were heavily credited with an interest in signing Gallagher, although ultimately no deal materialised.
However, it is now being reported that the Tractor Boys are still interested in signing the striker, in the wake of their promotion to the Premier League.
In the circumstances, that could well make a deal appealing for all concerned. Gallagher has never been the most prolific of strikers, and is one of the higher earners in the Blackburn squad. He is also into the final year of his contract at Ewood Park, so this could be the club’s last chance to cash in on him.
Given Ipswich are now in a financially stronger position following their promotion, they could also make a better offer to Rovers for the 28-year-old, which they could be tempted to accept, considering the financial boost it would provide.
Meanwhile, Gallagher himself would no doubt be keen to show what he can do in the Premier League, meaning this could be a deal that works well for all involved.
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