Rovers 'will need time to evolve' after key exits

Blackburn Rovers will "need time to adapt and evolve" and for players to develop into "the next Callum Brittain or Tyrhys Dolan" as they look to rebuild following a summer of key departures, boss Valerien Ismael has said.

Brittain, who left for Middlesbrough, and Dolan, who departed for Spanish side Espanyol, were among a number of senior figures to leave Ewood Park this summer.

Joe Rankin-Costello, Lewis Travis, Andi Weimann, Danny Batth and Dom Hyam were among the other departures who joined Championship rivals following the end of last season.

Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's normal at some point that the squad will evolve, some players will go, new players will come in.

"Now we've got new players, we'll need time to adapt, to evolve and [for players] to be the next Callum Brittain, the next Travis, the next Tyrhys Dolan. This is our job, it's a normal process actually."

Some of the outgoings from the club can be explained by Rovers being unable to tie some personnel down to new contracts, Ismael said.

"I said at the end of the season that we wanted to extend a lot of contracts but it was not possible," he added.

"You had to deal with the situation from the past. We tried to find the best solution for the club and we sold well, the players, but for sure, you're losing important players."

Few of Blackburn's summer recruits have experience of the Championship, with just two of their 10 additions having played in English football's second tier in the past.

Head of football operations Rudy Gestede said there was a "risk" to bringing in players from outside English football but said it was not a gamble.

"We know the risk to bring players outside of the domestic market. We know it can take a bit of time, but we decided to take this risk and we will not say a gamble because we've done our homework," he said.

"We believe that they've got the physicality to be in the league based on the numbers, they've got the technical abilities. Now it's what we're going do as a club to make sure they gel together and to give them the chance to perform at their best."

Gestede returned to Blackburn in his current role in the summer of 2024 having previously played for the club.

He said that fan criticism, whether on or off the pitch, was part of working in football, but said that there is more that goes on at the club than would appear.

"It's part of football that you're going to be criticised," he added.

"I've been a player, I've been criticised more than this. I've been named every type of words - me, my family and everything.

"So, the fans are there. They want to express their emotions, they don't have all the parameters, they don't know what's happened at the club or why we make decisions. They've got their own perceptions. Sometimes the press is not helping because they don't have the real facts and they put some something outside.

"So I'm happy to discuss anything. I've got nothing to hide. My communication is very clear."

Blackburn's summer transfer incomings

Andri Gudjohnsen - Gent

Ryoya Morishita - Legia Warsaw

Sidnei Tavares - Moreirense

Axel Henriksson - GAIS

Lewis Miller - Hibs

Dion de Neve - Kortrijk

Ryan Alebiosu - Kortrijk

Sean McLoughlin - Hull

Taylor Gardner-Hickman - Birmingham (loan)

Moussa Baradji - Yverdon Sport (loan)

Blackburn's summer transfer outgoings

John Buckley - Al Kholood

Joe Rankin-Costello - Charlton

Tyrhys Dolan - Espanyol

Andi Weimann - Derby

Lewis Travis - Derby

Danny Batth - Derby

Dilan Markanday - Chesterfield

Dom Hyam - Wrexham

Callum Brittain - Middlesbrough

Harry Leonard - Peterborough

Connor O'Riordan - Doncaster (loan)