Blackburn Rovers are set to sign Reading striker Dominic Samuel, according to journalist Alan Nixon on Twitter.
Following their relegation from the Championship last season, Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray is currently trying to put together a squad that he believes can bounce back up at the first time of asking. Rovers have already completed the signings of four players this summer and could be set to add another in Reading’s Dominic Samuel.
Attack is a position which Blackburn need to add to if they are to challenge for promotion in League One next season. Currently, Rovers only have Danny Graham and Anthony Stokes on their books but Stokes is expected to leave the club this summer, which would leave Blackburn with only one striker.
Rovers have been linked with a move for former Cardiff City striker Rickie Lambert recently, but it is understood that the club do not want to pursue this move any further. Instead, Mowbray has set his sights on Dominic Samuel.
Samuel, 23, is a product of the Reading academy but has made only 15 senior appearances for the club since his debut in 2012. Most of these came in the Championship last season, with the striker scoring twice in 11 games in all competitions. He then spent the second half of the season on loan at Ipswich Town, failing to score in six appearances.
According to Nixon, Blackburn have beaten Championship sides Ipswich Town and Barnsley to the signing of Samuel, after offering more money. The deal could rise to £500,000, and the striker will be on “decent wages” at the League One club.
Samuel has had three loan spells in League One, the first of which lasted less than a month with Colchester United. However, in spells with Coventry City and Gillingham, the striker scored 13 goals in 38 games between the two clubs.
Six of these goals came in 13 games for Coventry, under the management of current Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray. Mowbray will be hoping that the striker can hit a similar strike rate for Rovers this season.
