Luton Town have been advised to try to recruit Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan when his contract at Ewood Park expires at the end of the season, after the Hatters expressed interest in him last summer.
Dolan, a 23-year-old attacking talent with Rovers, is expected to leave the club this summer as his contract expires.
The dynamic forward was a junior player for Manchester City before joining Preston North End in 2017. However, he did not make any professional appearances for the Deepdale club until joining Blackburn in 2020.
He has made nearly 200 appearances and became a fan-favorite at Rovers in the four-and-a-half years since his senior debut, but may search for a new challenge shortly, with Luton encouraged to take advantage of his contract predicament.
| Tyrhys Dolan’s Blackburn Rovers’ career statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 197 |
| Goals | 23 |
| Assists | 21 |
Luton Town urged to make Tyrhys Dolan approach when his Blackburn contract expires
Dolan’s most prolific season at Rovers so far was in 2022/23, when he scored six goals and provided seven assists in 48 games across all competitions as the club narrowly missed out on the play-offs under Jon Dahl Tomasson.
After a solid season in 2023/24, Luton were linked with a transfer for his services ahead of their return to the Championship. However, he remained at Ewood Park and has since played a major role in another drive for the top six.
Luton have surprisingly struggled in the second tier this season, but they will need to pick up some vital results between now and the end of the season to avoid a stunning relegation to League One.
Our Hatters fan pundit, Simon Mills, has urged the club to attempt to sign Dolan, who was linked with a transfer to the Bedfordshire team last summer, when his contract ends in June. However, he accepts that any prospective deal will need to remain in the second-tier.
“There is one player on the list of Championship players that are out of contract that stands out to me, because he has been linked to us seemingly several times and it has never come together – Tyrhys Dolan of Blackburn Rovers,” Simon told the BBC.
“I think he would fit in well at Luton Town. I believe it all depends on whether we remain in the league or not. If we repeat our performance against Sheffield United, I believe we will.
“Again, I believe Luton is interested in Dolan. Whether or whether that happens this summer depends on the circumstances, so we will have to wait and see.
Dolan looks set to leave Blackburn but Luton move will hinge on Hatters league status
Dolan is a big asset to Rovers, but at this period in time there has been little talk of a renewal to his existing deal. It would obviously be a significant loss to their ranks if he was to leave, and Luton would definitely face competition for his signature if they declared their interest.
Football League World exclusively disclosed that Swansea City were contemplating a bid to sign the 23-year-old last month, although he again remained at Ewood Park with Blackburn refusing to cash in.
This season, he has four goals and five assists in 31 Championship games. He has been especially vital in recent weeks after John Eustace’s sudden departure, scoring and assisting in a 2-0 win over Plymouth Argyle.
Luton may have retained an interest in his talents before the summer, but any move will be entirely dependent on their fate in the relegation struggle over the next few months.
Matt Bloomfield has had little impact since his debut in the dugout last month, and they are sitting at the bottom of the second division following a poor stalemate against fellow strugglers Plymouth in midweek.
Dolan is getting closer to leaving Rovers with each week that passes without contract talks, but the Hatters may miss out on his services this summer, as there is little chance he will drop into League One given his age and potential to prove himself at the highest level in the coming years.
Any transfer for Dolan would also necessitate compensation for Rovers, as he is under the age of 24, and with his Championship experience, any interested side would likely have to pay high six-figure sums, or perhaps more than £1 million, to secure the small forward.
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