Blackburn Rovers have opened talks to sign former Sunderland defender Danny Batth on a free transfer, as per the Lancashire Telegraph.
Blackburn Rovers are gearing up for another season in the Championship this summer.
John Eustace’s side narrowly avoided relegation last time around and they will be hoping to avoid the risk of dropping a division completely this season.
But, they know they must strengthen their squad to do so and one man linked over last weekend was former Sunderland and Norwich City defender Batth.
Batth, 33, is a free agent following his departure from Carrow Road earlier this summer. He played 16 Championship games for the Canaries last season, scoring once. He spent most of his time at the club on the bench.
Now, a fresh update claims Rovers have opened talks to sign Batth as they try and add depth, experience and a bit of quality to their backline.
Getting back to his best
Batth’s best campaign in recent times came in the north east for Sunderland. He played 40 league games as he helped fire Sunderland to a top six finish in the Championship in their first season back up from League One.
However, the lack of football he got at Carrow Road last season is maybe a sign that his age has saw him decline in quality over the past 18 months or so. The Batth that was at Sunderland would have strolled into Norwich City’s team, but 16 appearances suggest he wasn’t the same player.
If he joins Blackburn Rovers it will be interesting to see what role he plays. Does Eustace work on getting him back to regular second tier football, or is he utilised more as a utility player for his experience in and around the dressing room.
Improvements needed
Eustace will know he has a tough job on his hands.
However, the former Birmingham City manager did get the Blues fighting in and around the top six last season, before he was arguably unfairly dismissed and the club went on to get relegated.
If he can apply his methods the same at Ewood Park then there is every chance they could kick up the table this season. It won’t be an easy or quick process, but if they can just have a season of stability then that will set them up nicely for the future, especially after the uncertainty faced last year.
