Blackburn Rovers stall in pursuit of Sunderland player
The club’s owners are reluctant to sanction a move for the central defender.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Blackburn Rovers owners Venky’s and their advisors are hesitant to sign Danny Batth due to his age.
- Batth finds himself in a tricky situation, being dropped from the starting lineup at Sunderland.
- Queens Park Rangers are also interested in signing Batth.
Blackburn Rovers owners Venky’s and their advisors are hesitant to sanction a move for Sunderland centre-back Danny Batth due to his age, according to Alan Nixon.
The 32-year-old previously looked destined to make the move to Ewood Park, with the player being dropped from the starting lineup this term despite the fact he performed so well for the Black Cats during the 2022/23 campaign.
He was able to utilise his previous experience in England’s top two tiers to guide the Wearside outfit into the promotion mix – and was unlucky not to be involved for the club during their play-off campaign.
What is Danny Batth’s situation at Sunderland?
Batth, with his presence and experience, could have made the difference against Luton Town in the semis but it wasn’t meant to be in the end and the player now finds himself in a tricky situation.
He did start against Crewe Alexandra in the Carabao Cup earlier this week – but he has been an unused substitute in both of the Black Cats’ league games this term and the experienced defender will be disappointed about that.
Tony Mowbray has opted to go with Daniel Ballard and Luke O’Nien as a centre-back partnership instead – and even Nectarios Triantis could overtake him in the pecking order as the Wearside outfit try and keep their squad as young as possible.
Batth has arguably been a victim of this emphasis on young players – and he could now leave the Stadium of Light before the transfer window closes next month.
Blackburn Rovers and QPR interested in Danny Batth
Rovers were believed to be interested in the player and Jon Dahl Tomasson is still keen to bring him in.
But Queens Park Rangers are also in the race now and that could complicate matters for Blackburn if they did go ahead and make an approach.
Gareth Ainsworth may have brought in Steve Cook from Nottingham Forest – but they have lost Rob Dickie, Leon Balogun and Conor Masterson.
Jake Clarke-Salter has had fitness issues during his time at Loftus Road as well, so there’s definitely a need for the R’s to add another option to their centre-back department before the window closes.
Should Venky’s change their stance on Danny Batth?
Considering Batth was reasonably reliable and played a decent number of games for the Black Cats last season, he should definitely be on Blackburn’s radar.
He may not be sold on for a huge amount in future – but he’s certainly someone who can provide value for money in the medium term.
A two-year contract seems sensible because he’s good enough to earn more than a 12-month contract but he shouldn’t be tied down for the long term either.
At 32, he isn’t too old yet and should have plenty to give Blackburn. Considering he would be a cheap addition too, this signing seems like a no-brainer for Blackburn if they can get it over the line.
An experienced figure could be useful in central defence and with Ashley Phillips departing, extra depth may also be needed. If this report is accurate, Venky’s will only have themselves to blame if this deal doesn’t go through.
