BLACKBURN is set to create a formal friendship link with the Chilean city of Concepción following the success of Rovers player Ben Brereton Diaz with the South American country’s national side.

The move is the idea of Ewood Park fan Anthony Shaw.

The Embassy of Chile got in touch with town leaders after he contacted it.

Ben, whose mother is from Chile, has become a national icon in the country since joining the Chilean football team.

Now talks have begun between Blackburn with Darwen Council and officials in Chile to establish mutually beneficial ways to create a friendship agreement with Concepción - the third largest city in Chile.

Mr Shaw said: “I decided to email the embassy after an early morning Chile game through which I had been engaging with Chilean supporters on social media.

“There was so much love between Blackburn and Chile I thought it would be a brilliant idea to formalise the relationship in some way.

“Hearing that a friendship agreement is being worked on was an amazing bit of news and would be a great opportunity for the town.”

Suggestions for collaboration and friendship ties so far include a focus on football, young people and climate change.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s deputy leader Cllr Phil Riley said: “I’m a lifelong Rovers fan. I’ve seen first-hand the great reaction to Ben joining the national team in Chile.

“Really great relationships are being built between fans as a result of Ben’s huge profile in the country. We had a very positive meeting with officials from the embassy who are very impressed with Blackburn and are looking at options to forge links with a similar-sized city.

“This would be a modern, cost-free friendship, as these days we can do much more remotely.”

David Gallagher, Ambassador of Chile, said: “We are happy to support a friendship agreement between Concepción and Blackburn.

“We recognise the role that Ben Brereton Diaz and the football Club Blackburn Rovers played in this important initiative, which we hope will be executed in the coming months.”

Steve Waggott, chief executive of Blackburn Rovers, said: “Our striker Ben Brereton Diaz has seen a well-deserve rise to prominence through his contribution to the Chilean national team. Seeing this transmit to developing close links between Blackburn and Concepción demonstrates how football can bring people together.”