Danny Batth won’t be joining Blackburn Rovers this summer.
That’s according to Alan Nixon, who tweeted that a move to Ewood Park was now ‘unlikely’.
Nixon first reported that Rovers were interested in signing the defender earlier this month following Daniel Ayala’s departure, while reports also claimed they were targeting him on a free transfer.
The Championship club are thought to be enduring huge financial problems and are said to be facing legal action from agents over overdue fees, while players were even asked to book their own flights home from their pre-season tour of Austria.
Rovers’ struggles now make a move for Batth extremely unlikely at Sunderland’s Player of the Season could now stay on Wearside until his contract expires next summer.
The 32-year-old has already been told that his current deal won’t be extended and he will be free to leave at the end of the season after two and a half years with the club.
Sunderland will receive a huge boost if Danny Batth doesn’t join Blackburn Rovers
It came as a big surprise when the news emerged that Danny Batth could not only leave, but leave for absolutely nothing.
The centre-back was sensational and ‘dominant’ for the Black Cats last season as he made 40 appearances in the Championship and claimed 13 clean sheets as the club reached the play-offs.
While Batth is only two months away from his 33rd birthday, his ability and leadership has proven vital for the very young Sunderland side and it would have been a huge shame if he moved to Ewood Park.
It would have been even harder to take if Rovers had ended up competing with Sunderland for a spot in the play-offs again, with Batth a key component to reaching the top six last time out.