Blackburn had an excellent 2016/17 campaign and only finished 2nd in League One, owing to Wigan’s consistently good performances. In any other season, they may well have won the league. Still, they returned to the Championship at the first time of asking and that is all they wished for when the season started.
So what are their aspirations for next season – how high up the table can they aspire to be? Well, the Championship is an incredibly difficult league to predict, which plays into the hands of the newly promoted teams.
Look at Sheffield United, for example, it looked at one point like they might genuinely reach the playoffs in their first season back in the division but they were unlucky to miss out in the end.
So here are three players who can help Blackburn get right up that table and achieve back-to-back promotions:
Charlie Wyke
The Bradford striker had a brilliant season in League One, not only scoring 15 goals for the mid-table side but also chipping in with 7 assists, making him one of the most creative players in the league.
He is ready to make the step up to the Championship and Blackburn may well be the place for him to thrive without too much pressure. It never hurts to have a bit of extra creativity in this league, and Wyke could definitely provide this.
Freddie Woodman
The young Newcastle goalkeeper has undoubted quality and has represented England at every youth level up to the Under-21s. Newcastle are looking to loan him out to the Championship to continue his development and Blackburn could be the perfect place for him. He is an excellent shot-stopper and has a commanding presence in the box, despite his young age.
Andy King
The Leicester City player, who spent the second half of the 2017/18 season on-loan at Swansea, has fallen down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium and could look for another loan spell away from the club in search for first-team opportunities.
He has Premier League experience and has also been a vital part of Leicester’s promotion campaigns. He would add a steely resolve to Blackburn’s central midfield and hopefully, will provide a boost to the rest of the team, especially to the younger players in the squad.