Blackburn Rovers 'line up' Scottish Premiership ace to 'replace' Celtic-linked attacker
A Scottish premiership star could replace a player who has been linked with a move to Celtic.
It’s that time of year when clubs around Europe line up their transfer targets for the summer transfer window, which opens in less than 10 days. As part of that, Championship club Blackburn Rovers have identified a player currently playing in Scotland as they look to put relegation concerns behind them next season.
Rovers, led by former Birmingham City boss John Eustace, found themselves battling the drop this term before ultimately securing survival in the final games. In a bid to improve ahead of next season, with Eustace heading into his first full season at the club, they have reportedly identified Motherwell star Theo Bair as a target.
That’s according to HITC, who say the 24-year-old forward could be a replacement for Celtic-linked forward Sammie Szmodics. Bair has scored 15 goals in 38 league games for Motherwell, kicking on significantly since his time at St Johnstone, where he only managed one goal in 34 league outings. Cardiff City and Sunderland have also been linked.
Rovers are almost certain to lose lead striker Szmodics this summer, with the forward firing them to safety with a Championship golden boot-winning 27 league goals. Celtic were linked with a move for the Irishman earlier this year, although, there are now reports that the 28-year-old will cost £15-20million, likely taking him out of Celtic’s reach.
A large number of teams, including Premier League side Brentford, are said to be interested in Szmodics, who has already made it clear he wants to test himself at a higher level. “It is everyone's dream to play in the Premier League and although there's nothing on the table right now, I'd be stupid to turn down an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League,” he admitted. "I want to test myself at the highest level and there will probably never be a better opportunity for me to do that than now.”