Blackburn and Bolton are both interested in Sylvester Jasper after the winger became a free agent after leaving Portuguese side Portimonense.
The 22-year-old agreed to mutually terminate his deal with the Liga 2 side last month, meaning he is on the lookout for his next club, and he can sign for a new team outside the transfer window.
And, it appears Jasper could be given the chance to return to English football, as Football Insider has revealed that both Blackburn and Bolton are keen on the player, whilst Dutch outfit NAC Breda are also in the mix for his signature.
Sylvester Jasper’s career so far
Jasper is someone that Rovers and Wanderers fans may know, as he has featured in the Football League previously.
The attacker came through the ranks at Fulham, and he would go on to make three appearances for the club during their 2019/20 promotion winning season from the second tier.
As well as that, Jasper would also spend time out on loan whilst contracted to the Cottagers, as he linked up with Colchester and Bristol Rovers in two different spells, whilst a stint with Hibernian in Scotland was sandwiched in between.
| Sylvester Jasper’s Career Stats (Source: Transfermarkt) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists | |
| Fulham | 3 | – | – | |
| Colchester (loan) | 24 | 3 | 2 | |
| Hibernian (loan) | 16 | – | 2 | |
| Bristol Rovers (loan) | 8 | – | 2 | |
| Portimonense | 30 | 2 | 2 | |
However, with opportunities at Craven Cottage hard to come by, Jasper left in 2023 to join Portimonense, and he made 25 appearances, scoring twice and assisting twice, as they were relegated from the top-flight last season.
Sylvester Jasper needs regular football
The priority for Jasper will surely be regular football, as his career hasn’t really got going just yet, despite the talent that he has.
With that in mind, a move to Blackburn would be a surprise, as it’s fair to say that he hasn’t always convinced out on loan, and the jump from a struggling Portuguese side to the Championship would appear to be a big one.
So, you would imagine that Rovers would see Jasper as a project signing, and he would need patience and time as he looked to fulfil his potential before making his mark on the first-team.
Meanwhile, playing regularly in League One seems more realistic, and Bolton are arguably short of a forward player, so that does potentially look like a good fit.
It’s been a very disappointing start to the campaign for Bolton, who are expected to be in the mix for promotion this season, but they’re languishing in the bottom half at this very early stage.
Bringing in a new signing could lift the mood at the club, and be the spark that Ian Evatt needs to really get the season going as they look to climb the table.
Sylvester Jasper would be a low-risk move
Obviously, as a free, you can understand why clubs are keen on Jasper, as he is a low-risk signing, and, at 22, he is a player who still has his best years ahead of him.
Blackburn Rovers are interested in Cesena attacker Augustus Kargbo ahead of the January window.
It’s unlikely that Jasper would be in a position to demand a long-term contract either, so it’s likely to be a deal that is favourable to either club, and the onus will be on the winger to show he warrants an extension.
A deal for Jasper can be agreed at any time outside the window as he is a free agent, so there is no rush to get it over the line.
