Blackburn Rovers have wrapped up the signing of Crewe Alexandra defender Connor O’Riordan after links with Preston North End.
This has been a very, very quiet window for PNE.
North End fans were prepared for a fairly uneventful window and so it has proved with business thin on the ground.
PNE have been linked with potential signings but nothing has materialised and we would be surprised to see anything come to fruition in the next few days.
One name mentioned in recent weeks is defender Connor O’Riordan as he seemed destined to leave Crewe Alexandra…
Blackburn Rovers announce Connor O’Riordan deal
The Lancashire Telegraph reported earlier in January that PNE were showing an interest in O’Riordan.
Rivals Blackpool were also in the mix but O’Riordan was widely expected to join Blackburn Rovers as they moved to activate his £500,000 release clause.
The deal hit problems a couple of weeks ago, leaving Rovers in danger of being hijacked.
PNE’s stance seemed fairly clear though; the Lancashire Evening Post noted that, whilst North End admire O’Riordan, a deal just wouldn’t be possible.
North End would have wanted to structure the deal carefully rather than pay the £500,000 clause in one go as Crewe wanted.
That left PNE out of the race and Rovers have managed to get their man.
The 20-year-old centre back has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Ewood Park and Rovers have celebrated the move.
Rovers Director of Football Gregg Broughton has praised O’Riordan for his aerial presence, believing that he can become a ‘first-class defender’ in the future.
Broughton added that Rovers have beaten ‘significant interest’ to sign O’Riordan, who seemed to have his heart set on a move to Ewood Park.
“We are delighted to welcome Connor to Blackburn Rovers and I would like congratulate Crewe for the incredible development work they have done over many years,” said Gregg Broughton, Rovers Director of Football.
“Connor will bring an aerial presence in both boxes, a calmness in possession and a desire to do the ugly things needed to be a first-class defender. We have had to be patient with this signing, after initially having offers turned down by Crewe in the summer, and we have beaten significant interest from other clubs to conclude the deal.”
“Our recruitment team have done a great job in both tracking Connor and then selling the club to him. Connor must also receive great credit for not allowing the speculation to affect him and being resolute that the only club he wanted to move to was Blackburn Rovers,” he added.
Only time will tell whether PNE have really missed out here, but defensive additions simply have to come in 2024.
Patrick Bauer and Greg Cunningham are out of contract in the summer and more athleticism is needed at the back for the coming years.
O’Riordan would have made sense but North End’s financial situation meant Rovers were able to get the deal done and leave PNE empty-handed.