January transfers, Venky's and your Blackburn questions

Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have been entertaining on the pitch but sit 12th with a third of the season gone. Performances have been good and results perhaps not quite reflective of how well they have played.

Off the pitch, Venky's continued battle with the Indian government continues to be a hot topic of discussion amongst fans. With the January transfer window coming up too, how will their situation affect any plans?

What does the New Year merry-go-round mean for Rovers? Could there be any sales or arrivals?

That is just a flavour of the topics discussed in our latest Q&A with Rovers Reporter Elliott Jackson.

READ MORE: Tyrhys Dolan contract update

What are the club's expectations for the season? - Tom Dobson

It depends on who you ask, really. If you speak to Jon Dahl Tomasson, he will say that he is incredibly ambitious and so is the group. But there is a sense of realism about the make-up of Rovers' squad and the size of it too.

Tomasson has repeatedly referenced Steve Waggott's interview on the eve of the season where he said the aim was to consolidate and to continue developing young players (to paraphrase). So, he tends not to talk about expectations and instead insists on how pleased he is with some a young group.

Though they'd not publicly say it, I think most of the Directors in the club would be pleased with a top-ten finish, developing their attractive style of play and adding value to the squad through player development.

Inside the camp, they believe they can make another push for the play-offs but I suspect most Championship dressing rooms 15th and above will feel similar.

Do you expect any firm interest in our players in January? - Luke Sul

January is always a difficult time of year for clubs to make major signings. Personally, I'd be surprised if there are any significant outgoings at Rovers.

There was interest in Adam Wharton in the summer but if he's going to leave, I don't see it mid-season. I think Rovers have committed to ensuring he stays this season and continues to develop.

He is the obvious one. There could be a few sniffing around Sam Szmodics after his fast start, Hayden Carter or maybe Tyrhys Dolan. 

Unless there is a big bid that comes in, I'd be surprised to see any major sales in January.

How long is left on JDT's contract? - Shaun Tonge

A nice easy one. JDT's contract expires in the summer of 2025, he signed a three-year deal with the club when he joined.

Will Sam Szmodics get back in the international set-up soon? - Peter Szmodics

It's been interesting watching on with Szmodics and ROI. Clearly, his form has deserved recognition. He was called up last time but had to depart for family reasons and that ruled him out this time too.

There seems to be a perception that he was unpopular with the outgoing manager, Stephen Kenny. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. But it will be intriguing to see if he becomes a regular, should his form continue, under the new appointment.

Other players have started slowly and improved. Is JDT seeing progress from Ennis and Telalovic? 

This is an important question and one I posed to JDT after the international break. We have seen with countless examples, most recently Sondre Tronstad that a player's fortunes can change very quickly under this head coach.

The challenge for Ennis is to prove he can stay fit and perform to the physical capabilities JDT expects. Unfortunately, he came off against Preston in the Under-21s on Tuesday which is another frustration, regardless of the extent of the injury (we won't know more until Friday).

Telalovic is a different case. He's eager to learn, very willing and has a great attitude. Ultimately, if JDT doesn't think he's ready, which appears to be the case, he is more use playing for the U21s and building confidence, momentum, rhythm, than being an unused substitute.

The proof will ultimately be in the pudding. If he can show he is applying what JDT wants from him in training and U21 games, he'll get some minutes.

When can Rovers expect any money from the David Raya deal, when it becomes permanent? - Pete Hodge

So, when I asked Gregg Broughton about David Raya in September, he gave some good detail.

He said: "We know that if the deal goes through as both clubs intend it to, it will bring in £5million to Blackburn Rovers over the next few years."

I don't know the exact ins and outs of Arsenal's contract with Brentford, obviously, but it's been reported as a loan to buy which becomes an obligation if certain criteria is met. Considering he is their number one, it's everyone's expectation that the deal does become permanent in the summer.

As a result, when Brentford get paid, I'd expect Rovers to get their slice of the pie at the same time. Now that transfer fee will be paid in instalments over X amount of years so Rovers won't get a massive windfall in one go, as Broughton references above.

Do you think Tyrhys Dolan will leave in January? - James Greene

The short answer is no, I don't. We reported on Thursday morning that talks have paused between the two parties but they will be revisited later down the line.

To reiterate, that doesn't mean 'he's off'. It just means that Dolan wants to focus on performing more consistently and establishing himself as indispensable to the head coach.

If we're looking at this as a business deal, if you'd had a disappointing start to your work year and wanted a raise, you'd probably wait until you're performing at your peak, right?

Rovers have complete control over his future, there is no rush. They can extend his contract until 2025 and would still be due compensation if he left for free. Plus, right now, the India situation complicates any deal, contract or otherwise.

So I don't expect him to leave, no. Unless a decent offer comes in from the Premier League, but you could say that about anyone.

Has there been any indication of the budget for January? - Rory Larmer

Everything we are hearing from India and from those at the club would suggest the situation hasn't changed from the summer.

So there may be a possibility that Rovers can get a loan deal or two over the line but unless there's a sale, I'd be surprised to see them spending any fees.

Of course, the India situation is pretty volatile so things can change pretty quickly, as we saw in the summer.

When JDT leaves the club, do you have confidence in Broughton to find a suitable replacement? Will they go for a similar type? - Andy Watton

I don't see any reason to doubt Broughton considering he played a big role in appointing JDT. That has been a huge success so the track record is positive, albeit a small sample size.

I don't think Rovers' model will see them jump back on the 'manager merry-go-round', personally. The club has a clear identity and style they want to adhere to and the next head coach, whenever that may be, will need to fit into those principles.

With the appointment of Tomasson, things such as 'Championship know-how' and 'promotions on the CV', have clearly not been the priority and that has worked just fine. That's not to say it always works out, or those things aren't important, but I think the club has other metrics when assessing the suitability of a head coach.

Where does the club stand with Financial Fair Play? - Umair Rafiqasson

The accounts for the company that owns Rovers, Venky's London Limited, reported a £20.8m loss in their latest accounts. The year before, they made £2.7m because they sold Adam Armstrong and used the training ground loophole, which has since been shut.

Had they not made those sales, they would've lost around £20m again. FFP rules state a club can't lose more than £39m over three years and so the club are treading a bit of a tightrope going into next summer.

We spoke to Football Finance Expert Kieran Maguire shortly after the accounts were released so you can read more here about Rovers and FFP.

How does Rovers' financial situation compare to other clubs in the league? - Phil Myth

Similar, to be honest. A lot of Championship clubs that don't have parachute payments lose around £20m per year. Some obviously spend more and generate bigger funds through retail, tickets etc, but the bottom line is similar.

Rovers are incredibly dependent on Venky's to keep footing the bill but you could say that about almost every club. It is sadly the way football operates now, though the wage-to-revenue percentages have come down since COVID.

Have the Venky's taken us as far as they can given their money issues? - Dave Whittaker

Nobody knows, ultimately. If you speak to people around the club, there isn't much certainty about when or how this ends. 

I think what we can say is there is still a willingness from Venky's to pay the bills. Rovers have reiterated that throughout and the recent report about £11.5m worth of funding being pushed through via the High Court would back that up.

Whenever a cheque has needed signing, Venky's have done that in recent years, it's undeniable regardless of how some may feel about their early tenure.

The question is whether these investigations and new Indian tax laws will stop them from being able to spend what they once have. Unfortunately, nobody has any major clarity on that right now.

Is anyone in a senior position at the club have real concerns about the owner's situation? - Gareth White

It's not an ideal situation, is it? I think the longer it goes on, the more concern will grow. It's not sustainable to have to go to the High Court regularly to push through funding.

Now I am not an expert on the Indian government and their protocol with changing tax laws. What I can say is that every time questions have been asked, those at the club have reiterated the owners are fully committed to Blackburn Rovers.

So far, their actions have backed that up. We will have to see over time if that remains the case.