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Blackburn Rovers lost several of their key performers from last season, as the club seem to be going through a transitional period.
Valerien Ismael has made it clear that there has been a shift in the transfer approach of the Lancashire club, as he spoke about making further additions to his squad in January.
Blackburn Rovers have seen experienced players depart the club, including former captain Lewis Travis to Derby County, Dominic Hyam to Wrexham, and Tyrhys Dolan to Espanyol.
While these are significant players that the club have lost, there is one name that could be easily forgotten who could have been an incredibly important individual within the squad who could occupy a few roles under Valerien Ismael at Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers may regret allowing Joe Rankin-Costello to leave
A player to come through at Blackburn Rovers, after joining from Manchester United in 2014 as a youth, becoming a key player at the club.
He spent eight senior seasons at the club, and his playing time increased year upon year in the Championship, as last season he played the most games across a league campaign while at the club.
Valerien Ismael and the club believed he was surplus to requirements, as they allowed him to depart to Charlton Athletic this summer for a reported £1 million.
The Blackburn manager admitted that he has a limited squad of around 22 senior players, with Ismael not wanting a bloated squad, which is understandable; however, the addition of a versatile player who could cover a few positions would be useful.
Rankin-Costello has already demonstrated at Charlton that he is a fine player at Championship level and has impressed while at the London club.
An individual like Rankin-Costello is always useful should the club experience an injury crisis, as he can fill in; however, he is also a quality player that would bring class and creativity to Blackburn Rovers to help them achieve their season ambitions this campaign.
It is a long season, and a squad of quality players is required to succeed, and having a squad player like Rankin-Costello should be the dream for any manager.
John Eustace was a huge fan of Joe Rankin-Costello.
Valerien Ismael did not seem to be a fan of Joe Rankin-Costello, as he left him out of several matches at the end of the last campaign.
The current Rovers manager previously stated that the decision was in order to help the squad, as he wanted players battling for positions, a decision he also made for John Buckley.
Both players have now left the club for this season.
Former Blackburn manager John Eustace was a huge fan of Joe Rankin-Costello, as he explained to the Lancashire Telegraph.
He said: “I think he’s just a very good, intelligent footballer.
“Last year, he played central midfield for us. This year he’s played off the right. His performances have been very effective. Joe is a really good player at this level, and we’re very fortunate to have him in the squad.
“It’s a 46-game season, and whoever is involved now is doing well. Joe started a lot of games early on; now he’s out of the team for this short period.
“He will come back in the team at some point, and there will be others who won’t be playing. We have to use the squad, and as long as everyone’s fit, there will be competition for places.
“Everyone’s main goal is for Blackburn Rovers, not just for themselves.”