Blackburn Rovers are refusing to budge on their valuation of Adam Armstrong with the Lancashire Telegraph reporting a £20 million price tag could block a move to West Ham United or Southampton.
With just 12 months left on his contract, you can see why those Premier League suitors are looking elsewhere.
£20 million is a sizeable sum anyway for a striker who remains unproven in the top flight – even though Ollie Watkins’ success at Aston Villa shows that, sometimes, a substantial risk can reap massive rewards.
But, when you consider Armstrong will be a free agent in 12 months, there’s understandably little desire on the part of West Ham, Southampton, Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion to pay the sort of money Blackburn want for their 29-goal top scorer.
What’s more, Tony Mowbray’s Rovers are unwilling to soften their stance, despite the fact they have yet to receive a single bid for the one-time Newcastle United youngster.
- ‘I’LL SOON BE GONE’: £9m star would love to join West Ham or Southampton
- ‘OFF TO WEST HAM’: Newcastle fans convinced they won’t sign £27m star
West Ham and Southampton among teams eyeing Armstrong
There appears to be something of a Mexican stand-off taking place, with no-one daring to blink first.
Then again, if Armstrong refuses to extend his contract at a club that finished a lowly 15th in the Championship next season, Blackburn may have no choice but to reconsider that £20 million price tag later in the window.
With funds tighter than ever in pandemic times, you’d think Blackburn would rather sell their star man for, say, £15 million now than lose him for nothing next year.
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