With the 2023/24 Championship season over, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers can both reflect on their very different seasons with pride.
Leicester, of course, were declared division champions, overcoming a late-season hiccup to eventually secure promotion and the title in relatively comfortable fashion.
Blackburn, meanwhile, finished 19th but avoided relegation under John Eustace, and can now look forward to a full, new season with the 44-year-old.
Both teams will now prepare for their respective seasons in 2024/25, but an early summer rumour suggests that the two sides may soon find themselves negotiating at the same table.
Tom Cannon linked with Leicester-Blackburn switch
According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Blackburn is interested in Leicester City attacker Tom Cannon ahead of next season.
According to Nixon’s claim, Rovers, along with fellow Championship side Preston North End, want to bring Cannon back on loan to the second tier for 2024/25.
Nixon believes that the Foxes must now make a crucial choice on Cannon’s future, after the multi-million pound player was injured and/or overlooked during his debut season at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester City should sanction Tom Cannon’s loan.
Given Cannon’s record this season, Leicester should have little trouble making a decision.
As previously stated, he suffered an injury at the start of the season, but even after regaining fitness and rejoining the group, others were preferred.
Cannon appeared in four Championship matchday squads before being brought off the bench, and although being fit since early November, he did not earn his first league start for the club until January.
Another injury near the conclusion of the season hindered Cannon’s progress even further, and the dynamic young forward concluded the season having played only 13 Championship matches, three of which came from the start.
With Leicester’s promotion to the Premier League, it appears doubtful that Cannon, even if he remains fully fit, will suddenly become a regular starter under Maresca.
The Premier League is a step up in quality, and if Maresca did not often select him in the Championship, there is little reason to believe he will do so in the top level, especially with the club’s Premier League status at stake. Furthermore, despite their off-field financial troubles, Leicester will certainly look to expand their squad this summer, potentially pushing Cannon further out.
Given the foregoing, a loan to the Championship for regular minutes next season would allow Cannon to continue his development and growth as a player while also protecting Leicester’s investment.
Blackburn could be a fantastic fit for Cannon.
Given the situation surrounding the club this summer, Blackburn may be an excellent destination for that loan.
Sammie Szmodics has had an incredible season at Ewood Park, scoring 27 goals in 44 Championship games, winning the league’s golden boot, and helping Blackburn stay narrowly above the relegation zone.
However, such performances are inevitably generating interest from other clubs, with Fulham and Brentford both linked with a move for the 28-year-old.
It appears that Blackburn will be unable to retain their best player if Premier League clubs come calling, leaving them with a significant gap in terms of goalscoring.
This is where Cannon could come in. Although the 21-year-old lacks experience, he demonstrated during his brief spell at Preston that he is more than capable of scoring goals at this level at a rapid pace, and a manager like Eustace, who worked so well with young players at Birmingham City, could really get the best out of him.
Given everything mentioned above, it’s impossible not to feel that sending Cannon on loan from Leicester to Blackburn next season would be a win-win situation for both clubs.
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