John Buckley shares emotional farewell message amid Blackburn Rovers exit, ‘I’ll forever be proud’

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Blackburn Rovers have sold plenty of players this summer, and John Buckley becomes the latest to depart Ewood Park after sealing a switch to Saudi Arabia.

So far this summer, we’ve seen outgoings at Blackburn Rovers including Tyrhys Dolan, Callum Brittain, and there’s confirmation expected for Lewis Travis’ departure soon, too.

Before that announcement, John Buckley has sealed his move to Saudi Pro League club Al Kholood in what was a surprising transfer for most.

Having been at Blackburn Rovers since he was a youngster, it’s an emotional time for Buckley, but he’s clearly not going to forget where he came from in a hurry.

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John Buckley’s farewell message to Blackburn Rovers fans

Buckley will now link up with former Oxford United coach Des Buckingham at Al Kholood. Interestingly, he is the only English player in the squad there despite the influx of British talent to the Saudi league.

Discussing the move on his Twitter/X account, Buckley shared a touching message for fans of Rovers, writing: “After 20 years, my time at Blackburn Rovers has come to an end. From joining the academy at 6 years old to go on to play 170 times for the club, it has been an incredible journey

“I’m grateful to everyone at the club — coaches, teammates, staff, and the fans for the support throughout the years. Blackburn Rovers will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’ll forever be proud to have worn the shirt. Thank you for the memories.”

It should not be a surprise that Valerien Ismael let Buckley go, to be fair. The central midfielder featured 27 times for Rovers last season but was largely used as a bit-part player, making just eight starts in the Championship.

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Blackburn Rovers are finally making moves in the transfer market

In the past, Blackburn’s owners have been accused of holding back and not investing in the squad. Right now, it’s hard to say that about the Venky’s, with eight new arrivals this summer already.

We’ve seen Ryoya Morishita sign for just under £2m, Lewis Miller join from Hibernian, and Sidnei Tavares make a permanent switch from Moreirense for around £1.5m.

All in, Blackburn have now spent around £7m this summer, while player sales currently amount to a little over £1.5m.

We understand Venky’s injected £5m into the club recently, which would track with the level of spending we’ve seen this summer. Whether there’s any more to come is another matter, but Ismael must surely be happy with the rebuild he’s overseen this summer.