Ryan Hedges

Rovers have triggered the option in Ryan Hedges' contract to ensure he stays at Ewood Park next season. Valerien Ismael was adamant that he wanted to keep the Welshman at the club.

The last two seasons have been frustrating for Hedges. Last term was injury hit and this campaign, he didn't produce his best in the final third. A tally of one goal and two assists was disappointing.

Despite his talent, he's never been a consistent goal-scorer. His best season for numbers was four goals and as many assists in 2022/23, Jon Dahl Tomasson's first season.

Ismael hopes he can coax more out of Hedges and finding his best role in this system will be key. There have been internal discussions about Hedges playing on the right wing again next season, which is where he's produced his best football.

With a more naturally attacking right-back in Callum Brittain making overlapping runs, it might help create more space for Hedges. That is the hope anyway.

Augustus Kargbo

Rovers fans only got glimpses of their January signing after a hamstring lay-off. The early signs have been promising.

His cameo off the bench against Plymouth Argyle was perhaps more pleasing, laying on an assist for Tyrhys Dolan. He has pace to burn and that's a skillset Rovers have been lacking in their squad for some time.

It's clear that he is still a bit raw in his decision-making. That is natural as he gets to grip with English football and a new country.

Rovers need more players of Kargbo's ilk and Valerien Ismael has made it clear that's a transfer target this summer. It will be his job to develop those qualities and polish them into a consistent Championship contributor.

After a full pre-season and more time to adapt, I'm hopeful we'll see more positive signs from Kargbo.

Andi Weimann

How much work Rovers have to do will depend on the futures of two out-of-contract players, starting with Andi Weimann. He has been offered a new contract but hasn't signed it yet.

Derby County are interested in bringing him to Pride Park with John Eustace an admirer, having played an integral part in him moving to Rovers last summer. Weimann came through the Academy at Aston Villa and has played for the Rams before, as well as loans at Wolves and West Brom.

With a young family to also consider, the allure of working with Eustace again may prove too much. It would be a blow for Rovers to lose someone with so much Championship pedigree.

Whilst he is not a 90-minute man, three games a week, any more, Weimann still knows where the net is. His movement in the box is excellent and he can finish better than anyone else at the club.

Rovers will look for younger, speedier profiles this summer but keeping someone like Weimann would still be preferable. Nothing has been officially decided yet, though the silence indicates a certain direction of travel.

Tyrhys Dolan

It has always felt unlikely that Rovers would be able to keep Dolan once his deal ran out. There's little to suggest that has changed both from his recent comments and the growing list of clubs linked with him.

Both Scottish clubs and Norwich City have been linked whilst Sheffield United are understood to have an interest too. Those are all clubs with bigger budgets that could be viewed as more attractive than Rovers.

Dolan's purple patch at the end of the season certainly helped his cause too. His seven goal and six assists were a career-best with several important strikes at the end of the season.

It's a shame because he's clearly a good fit for Ismael's style. His out-of-possession work has always been excellent and he has the necessary energy to press aggressively high up the pitch. After a few years of searching for his best position, he seems to have found a home on the right-wing.

Tyrhys Dolan's metrics, compared to Championship peers. (Image: Fotmob)

The 23-year-old has frustrated, at times, but the quality is there. With 200 appearances under his belt and time on his side, he's an attractive proposition for so many teams. Rovers will get a compensation figure but it will be below market value.

Looking from within

Rovers don't have anyone who looks ready to compete for a first-team spot next season.

Aodhan Doherty was signed from Linfield last summer and has a decent season in the Under-21s. He'll need a loan to get some first-team football though.

Harrison Wood had mixed loans last term but Rovers saw enough to trigger his one-year option. He'll probably go out again this term but needs to step up.

Do Blackburn Rovers need to sign a winger?

They need a couple, with Dolan and Weimann more likely to leave than stay, a the time of writing.

Signing players of Kargbo's physical profile is an obvious priority. They need players who can press and have the speed to exploit counter-attacking opportunities.

"I think that in the attacking areas, in the front three. The attacking ones, I think that we have to do something. As I said, in modern football, you need pace," he said back in April.

"You have to be good in the transition. When you have the ball, you have to be good in 1v1 areas. In a small area, you need a player who is able to deal with those situations.

"If you have to defend in a transition, you need pace to come in quickly. This is the type of profile we don't have a lot in our squad. The player who is able to deliver the work engine for a long period of time.

"Now we have to make sure that we can get this profile for the summer. I think you have to be creative."

Who could they sign?

Premium: Kwame Poku has every club in England chasing him, if reports are accurate. He is out of contract but would require a compensation fee paying to Peterborough United.

The likes of Birmingham City and Sheffield United are said to be interested, both of who would be attractive options. If Rovers really want to push the boat out, he's one that will be at the top of the list.

Djeidi Gassama has one year left on his contract at cash-strapped Sheffield Wednesday too. He'd be a good signing after an impressive season at Hillsborough.

Loan: These would be a couple of top-end loan signings too. Louie Barry will be a wanted man despite injury curtailing his spell at Hull City last term.

His brilliant form at Stockport County made him amongst the most wanted players in the January window. He barely played due to a knee problem but should be fit to have a second attempt in the Championship.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is a name that's been linked to Ewood Park before too. His loan at Sheffield United started well but fizzled out due to injuries at the end. Rovers should be right in the mix if he's available again.

Free: Mustapha Bundu would be great signing, on a free transfer. He has pace and athleticism as well as Championship experience.

The Plymouth Argyle forward netted 10 goals and registered six assists for a side that were relegated. I've seen enough in the last two seasons to say he'd be worth a deal.