Blackburn Rovers confirm Taylor Gardner-Hickman deal

Rovers also have the option to buy the 23-year-old from Birmingham City after his switch on transfer deadline day.

Gardner-Hickman becomes Blackburn’s 10th summer signing, capping off a huge squad overhaul at Ewood Park. Valerien Ismael has seen his squad massively change with six player sales on top of double-figure arrivals.

Birmingham signed Gardner-Hickman initially on loan from Bristol City last summer before making the deal permanent in January. However, after a summer of mass recruitment at St Andrew’s, he’s been allowed to join Rovers.

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Gardner-Hickman will offer Rovers cover in central midfield and at right-back. With Dom Hyam leaving to join Wrexham, it frees up Lewis Miller to offer more cover at centre-back.

Valerien Ismael was expecting Hyam to stay and didn’t foresee Rovers dipping into the loan market, with the usual caveats that the transfer window changes quickly. That underlines that this has been an off-the-cuff deadline day at Ewood Park.