Blackburn Rovers were dealt a significant blow with regards to their squad options for the rest of the season on Thursday night.
That came with the news that Duncan McGuire‘s proposed move from Orlando City, has indeed been blocked.
A decision not to allow the striker to complete his move to Blackburn Rovers, came after the Championship club failed to submit all paperwork before the relevant transfer deadlines.
With that deal now having been rejected, and Niall Ennis being sold to Stoke City on the final day of the window, Blackburn Rovers are rather lacking in the centre forward department.
Only Sam Gallagher and the relatively inexperienced duo of Harry Leonard and Semir Telalovic remain as first-team options in that position, until the summer at least.
Their pursuit of McGuire also demonstrates Blackburn Rovers’ need and desire for a striker, which they have of course now missed out on signing via the transfer market.
However, one alternative options they could turn to in order to rectify that issue in the short-term, is the free agent market, where players can of course be signed outside the window.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three individuals currently without a club, who Blackburn Rovers might want to consider as alternatives to McGuire, for the remainder of the campaign.
Lewis Grabban has a good record in the Championship
First up on this list is a player with plenty of Championship experience and success in the form of Lewis Grabban.
The 36-year-old has been without a club since leaving Saudi side Al-Ahli at the start of last year. He is however, a player who knows just how to make an impact in the Championship. In 284 appearances in the division, he has scored 112 goals, winning promotion twice.
Grabban is a player with an excellent instinct for goals, and if he could show that again in the second-tier, he could become a useful asset for Blackburn Rovers. Indeed, his knowledge of this level could also surely be helpful in such a relatively inexperienced squad.
Lys Mousset showed promise in the Championship
Mousset is currently a free agent after leaving German side Bochum last month, although the Frenchman is no stranger to English football.
Admittedly, the 27-year-old’s previous spells in the Premier League with Sheffield United and Bournemouth were far from prolific. However, there was more signs of promise from him in the Championship, where he scored three goals in just seven outings for the Blades.
That sort of quick and brief impact, may be just the sort of thing Blackburn Rovers need in front of goal as they look to stay clear of the bottom three between now and the end of the season.
Dwight Gayle would bring experience to Blackburn Rovers
While Blackburn Rovers sold Niall Ennis to Stoke City on the final day of the transfer window, another would leave the Potters, with Dwight Gayle seeing his contract terminated by mutual consent.
In truth, things never really worked out for the now 34-year-old during his time with Stoke City. However, he has previously shown he can get a significant number of goals at this level with the likes of Newcastle United and West Brom.
That could make him a decent back-up option for Blackburn Rovers, especially given his experience could also offer those younger individuals such as Leonard and Telalovic something to learn from. In turn, that could set them up to make a bigger impact at Ewood Park in the future.