Barnsley FC: Relief for Callum Brittain as Blackburn Rovers deal finally completed

The 24-year-old has joined Rovers for a fee in excess of £1m, signing a four-year deal.

Brittain was one of several Reds players who expressed a desire to leave the club earlier this close season.

On his move, he said: “I am really excited to be here. It’s something I have been stressing over for the past couple of weeks, so it is nice to get it over the line.”

Rovers had been interested in the ex-MK Dons player for some time and saw their advances spurned by the Reds in January.

But the Lancashire outfit maintained their interest in the player, who will be a direct replacement for Ryan Nyambe, who has joined Wigan Athletic.

In the process, right-back Brittain – who had a season left on his Oakwell deal – has become Rovers’ first signing of the Jon Dahl Tomasson era.

He has penned a long-term deal at Ewood Park, which runs until the summer of 2026.

Rovers director of football Gregg Broughton said: “We are delighted to welcome Callum to Blackburn Rovers.

“His profile fits exactly with the playing model we are building at the club – technically proficient, physically robust and the desire to become a better player every day.

“He has sat at the top of Rovers’ transfer target list for right-sided players for the last 12 months and so as soon as we had Jon’s full backing, we had no hesitation in bringing Callum to the club.

“Callum has already played over 200 senior games, including reaching the Championship play-offs a year ago.

“I have had the opportunity to follow Callum’s career since watching him live on loan in Iceland in 2016 and again when he made his MK Dons debut against Norwich City in the Football League Trophy a few months later.”

Brittain’s departure means that three leading players from the Reds side who reached the play-offs in 2020-21 have now left the club, with key strikers Cauley Woodrow and Carlton Morris joining Luton Town earlier in the summer.

Midfielder Callum Styles has been linked with several clubs, including Greek outfit Olympiacos and Turkish side Besiktas – managed by former Reds chief Valerien Ismael.

Polish outfit Lech Poznan are keen on Reds’ central-half Michal Helik.