BLACKBURN Rovers’ owners Venky’s are planning to fly to England this weekend to hold crisis talks with manager Steve Kean and club officials.
The Asian poultry giants are due to be at Sunday’s final game of the season at Chelsea, where they will hold detailed discussions over Kean’s future and the direction the club is heading.
Monday night’s relegation has hit the owners hard as the financial implications start hitting home, with drastic cuts already feared by club insiders.
Venky’s had been confident Rovers would beat off the threat of the drop but, after Monday’s defeat condemned them to the Championship, are now left facing a growing crisis.
The Lancashire Telegraph understands several of Rovers’ directors and Venky’s advisers believe Kean should be axed but club matriarch Mrs Desai is yet to be convinced.
It is unknown who will be in Venky’s travelling party at Stamford Bridge but sources close to Venky’s have told us talks about the future are very much on the agenda with influential family members.
Rovers sources have told the Lancashire Telegraph they fear as much as a 40 per cent cut on the backroom staff, as well as attempts to slash costs elsewhere.
The club expect a player exodus this summer as well, despite Kean’s claim on Monday night he would do everything to keep his squad together.
Contract rebel Junior Hoilett will leave the club with his deal expiring in the summer, with top clubs from home and abroad fighting for his signature.
Newly promoted Reading and Southampton are understood to be showing early interest in summer signing Scott Dann, with his contract believed to include a £6million release clause.
Midfielder Steven Nzonzi will also demand a move, having been frozen out of Rovers’ Premier League finale, while Martin Olsson is also expected to exit.
Rovers will also have to fend off heavy interest in top scorer Yakubu, while young Scottish defender Grant Hanley is also on the radar of several Premier League clubs.
The futures of Ruben Rochina, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic and Mauro Formica are also uncertain having not been involved as much as they would have liked this season.
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