Derby County Chasing Deal for Blackburn Rovers Captain

With their second Championship season since promotion from League One underway, Derby County have lodged a bid for a rival side’s captain with the aim of bolstering their squad. 

The Rams are reportedly eyeing up a move for Blackburn Rovers midfielder Lewis Travis. The 27 year old is entering the last year of his contract and John Eustace’s side have reportedly lodged a bid in the region of £1.5 million for Rovers’ captain.

Who is Lewis Travis?

Travis started his youth career with Premier League champions Liverpool. After being released from the Merseyside club without signing a professional deal, the midfielder joined Blackburn Rovers in 2014.

After making his senior debut for the Lancashire side in 2017, the midfielder has since found a home at Ewood Park and made over 250 appearances. Travis’ only time away from the club was a loan move to Ipswich Town in the second half of the 2023-24 season.

With one year remaining on his contract, talks between the club and the 27 year old are rumoured to have stalled. On the back of this, the midfielder is reportedly subject to a £1.5 million bid from Derby County. 

What could Lewis Travis bring to Derby County?

Should Derby County complete a deal for Travis he would bring significant experience with him to Pride Park. The 27 year old has spent the last eight seasons in the second tier and was part of the Ipswich side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2024.

Travis usually finds himself in a deep lying midfield role which provides him with the opportunity to link up play between defensive and attacking. During the 2024-25 season, Travis had a 85% passing accuracy and completed an average of 2.85 accurate long balls per game.

Another attribute that Travis could bring to Derby County’s midfield is his ability to break up opposition attacks. The former Liverpool youngster completed 5.43 ball recoveries and 1.76 tackles per 90 minutes with a 61.2% success rate on average for Blackburn, showcasing his ability to win possession back for his side.

His ability to provide defensive cover to his defence is up there with the best in the Championship. According to Fotmob’s player traits, the midfielder completed more defensive actions than 73% of players in similar positions within the division.

Would Lewis Travis be a good signing for Derby County? 

After securing Championship survival last season, the Rams will likely be looking to push up the table and challenge for a top half position this season. A move for Travis could provide them with a significant boost in this aim.

The 27 year old has captained the Blackburn side and would provide a strong level of leadership and experience for those in the Derby County squad. Despite playing a different formation to Blackburn, Travis would most likely fit into John Eustace’s formation as one of the holding midfielders alongside Ebou Adams.

Should Derby complete a deal for Travis, it would see him reunite with former manager John Eustace. The 27 year old was Eustace’s captain at the start of the 2024-25 season until the 45 year old left Ewood Park for Pride Park in February.

The Blackburn captain has previously spoken about his positive relationship with Eustace which could have a significant impact on whether the midfielder moves to:

“I was very close to him, so it is hard to see a gaffer you’re so close to leave” 

At a reported fee of £1.5 million, the potential signing of Travis would be a good one for Derby County. It would add experience and leadership to their midfield with Travis coming into the prime of his career at the age of 27.