Ryan Nyambe contract saga rumbles on

Sport Reporter

The Ryan Nyambe saga rumbles on, with no conclusion yet to the future of the Rovers right back.Nyambe hasn’t signed the new contract on the table from Rovers and as a result, as things stand, he hasn’t returned to pre-season training and won’t be part of the squad heading to Portugal at the end of this week.

Unlike Darragh Lenihan, who is set to join Middlesbrough on a long-term contract, Nyambe or his representatives haven’t outlined to the club that he won’t be staying.

Yet crucially, there is no agreement with the 24-year-old, who has played 200 times for Rovers since coming through the Academy, and he remains free to speak with other clubs. Stoke City tried to sign Nyambe on a permanent deal last summer, but Rovers rejected their advances, though the Potters remain a potential destination for the Namibia international. However, the rumour mill has been quiet in terms of other suitors, with West Bromwich Albion another, a contrast to Lenihan, who had a number of clubs chasing his signature.

That could play into the Rovers’ hands in their quest to tie him down to a new deal and avoid losing three senior players to free transfers.

Keep him

With Lenihan set to join Boro, and Joe Rothwell close to a move to Bournemouth, Rovers will hope that Nyambe doesn’t make it a hat-trick and signs a new deal.

It would be a boost to new head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson and director of football Gregg Broughton, who said further talks were planned with Nyambe. He played 32 times last season, taking him beyond 200 appearances for the club. James Brown, a free transfer signing from Drogheda United in January, made his first-team debut on the final day of last season, with Joe Rankin-Costello another option at right back.

Deyovaisio Zeefuik had been earmarked as a long-term replacement but has since returned to parent club Hertha Berlin after an injury-hit spell at Ewood Park. One player who was looked at in January was Exeter City right back Josh Key.

The Grecians, promoted from League One, rejected a bid from an unnamed club in January, having also turned down a bid from Sunderland last summer for Key.

Other targets

Under Tony Mowbray, Rovers had a history of returning for long-term targets, with Callum Brittain another right back to have been looked at previously, but those targets could now have moved on from following the appointment of Gregg Broughton as director of football, while John Park will leave his head of recruitment role next week.

Exeter boss Matt Taylor had hinted at exits from the club this summer, with Key one of those with interest, and also thought to be into the last year of his deal.

He told Dorset Live earlier this summer: “All players are available to be sold if it’s the right offer. We use the word ‘value’ all the time at Exeter City and we have to be mindful of what’s to come and what we need.

“We need to create more income and generate more money so we can spend more money on other players and other positions.

“Everyone is always open to offers in relation to what might come in and sometimes, when players get towards the end of their contract, you might be more prone or more open to discussions.” Adapted from the Lancashire Telegraph