George Hirst was 'crossing his fingers' for Ben Brereton Diaz stay

Hirst, close friends with Brereton after first becoming friends during their days with the England age groups signed, signed on the eve of deadline day on a season-long loan deal from Leicester City.

At the time Brereton’s Rovers future was uncertain, with interest from Premier League clubs, but Rovers resisted those advances and the now Chile international will remain at the club until at least January.

Hirst revealed the pair having matching tattoos on their ankles following a summer trip away together in their teenage years, and having been good friends off the pitch, he’s hoping to strike up a similar relationship on the pitch.

He said: “I was one of those crossing my fingers.

“Hopefully we get playing together and developing a good relationship on the pitch as well.

“He has been brilliant and you only have to look at his stats from last season and what he did with the goals he scored.

“To hold to a player like that is brilliant and hopefully he can go on and do it again this year.”

Rovers outlined that Hirst had been the No.1 striking target of Jon Dahl Tomasson this summer, with the club having tried to sign him on a permanent deal.

In the end they secured him on a season-long loan deal, with the option to buy next summer, with Hirst making his debut in the defeat to Bristol City.

He was keen to ensure the move got over the line this summer having been impressed with head coach Tomasson during his conversations prior to his switch.

“It’s been in the background for a little while,” he explained.

“I spoke to the gaffer a good few weeks ago and got a feel of what he was thinking and how he saw me fitting in to his team.

“After that conversation it was only positive things from me.

“It got to the end and it just heightened my feeling of wanting to get it done and being happy when it was done.

“It had been going on for a little while and I’m delighted to be here.”

Hirst came through the ranks at Sheffield Wednesday, his boyhood club where his dad, David, made his name.

He made the move to Leicester City as a teenager and has made two senior appearances for the Foxes.

This will be his third successive season out on loan, scoring 15 times for League One Portsmouth last term, having endured a difficult time with Rotherham United in 2020/21.

His move to Rovers was only confirmed after he signed a two-year extension to his deal at the King Power Stadium through to 2025. However, there is an option for Rovers to make the move permanent next summer.

On how the situation has been explained to him, Hirst outlined: “Leicester came to me a few weeks ago and expressed that they wanted to extend my stay.

“I ended up signing a two-year extension and I know there’s an option in the deal with Blackburn and I think that’s good for all parties.

“It’s up to Blackburn really and myself and we’ll sit down if it comes to that and make a decision.

“For me, it was nice to pen a new deal at Leicester, I don’t feel my journey is 100 per cent done there.

“I’ve been into League One and scored goals, hopefully I can come into the Championship and score goals here this year and see what next year brings.

“I’m not really thinking about it too much in depth.

“Hopefully if I score goals you don’t know what will happen.”

Hirst has scored goals at age group level, in Premier League 2 for Leicester and for Portsmouth in League One.

However, he failed to score in 32 appearances for Rotherham United in 2020/21, albeit only four of those came from the start.

It’s for that reason that Hirst feels he has unfinished business in the Championship, something he’s looking to show in Rovers colours.

“It feels the natural next step for me,” the 23-year-old said.

“I went to Rotherham and had a difficult year, it was probably the wrong club at the wrong time in all honesty looking back, and I don’t hold any grudges about that.

“I went to League One, showed I could score goals at that level and now it’s about carrying that on and doing it again in the Championship.

“I’ve been fortunate that the gaffer and this club have given me the opportunity to do that and now I’ve got 39 games to go and repay that faith.

“I do feel like it’s the natural next step.

“It feels like I’ve got unfinished business in the Championship having not had such a good season a couple of years ago.

“I feel like now I’m a lot more prepared for that, a lot more ready and hopefully I can go and show that.”

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