Sondre Tronstad reveals how Derby County rumours affected Blackburn Rovers changing room

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Blackburn Rovers’ transfer window was a rollercoaster, as key players departed, while plenty of new arrivals have helped fill out the squad for the 2025/26 Championship campaign.

The Lancashire outfit have not had the best of starts to the season, and while they picked up an excellent 3-0 win over Hull City away from home on matchday three, they have lost all three of their other games.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
16	CharltonCharlton	4	1	1	2	2	4	-2	4
17	Hull CityHull City	4	1	1	2	5	9	-4	4
18	QPRQPR	4	1	1	2	6	11	-5	4
19	BlackburnBlackburn	4	1	0	3	4	5	-1	3
20	IpswichIpswich	4	0	3	1	4	5	-1	3
21	DerbyDerby	4	0	2	2	7	11	-4	2
22	Oxford UnitedOxford United	4	0	1	3	4	7	-3	1

Nevertheless, with deadline day now in the past, Valerien Ismael has started to build the team that he wants, with the early summer distractions of contract issues at the back of his mind.

However, there has been one source of irritation at Blackburn throughout 2025, Derby County. Now, Sondre Tronstad has explained how the Rams have impacted on the dressing room at Ewood Park in the last few months.

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Sondre Tronstad on Derby County’s impact on Blackburn Rovers

We have to wait until November to see Rovers and Derby face off against one another in the Championship, with the East Midlands side set to make the trip to Lancashire.

Five of the Rams’ new signings this summer played for Blackburn just last season, with John Eustace turning to his former club to help build the crux of his squad. However, this was something that midfielder Sondre Tronstad perhaps saw coming.

He said: “There are other players who share things, and then we talk together, and that’s how I hear about it. Then it’s like well, is this true at least? It started with John Eustace. When there was interest from Derby, it was like people were talking in the locker room.”

Lewis Travis became the final player to join Derby from Blackburn, as Ismael revealed his desire to join the Rams in mid-August. Meanwhile, former loanees Dion Sanderson and Owen Beck have reunited with Eustace, while Andreas Weimann and Danny Batth made their way to Pride Park after their contracts expired.

• READ MORE – All Championship players on international duty in September 2025 including Josh Sargent and Demarai Gray

Rovers need to put this Derby County saga behind them

There is no denying that the Rams have been a source of constant frustration throughout the summer for Blackburn, but now this must be put in the past.

Ismael needs as much support as possible from the fanbase to ensure that Rovers are fighting at the right end of the table, with the opening weeks of the season already showing where their weaknesses lie.

The international break does allow Blackburn the chance to reset and for the new players to get adjusted to life at the club. However, there will be some concerns over the lack of Championship experience that several of their signings have, especially when it is considered how much they have let go.

Dom Hyam’s move to Wrexham is particularly disappointing, and while his contract was set to expire at the end of the season, Rovers were unable to replace him and his last-minute departure has not been received well by supporters.