Blackburn Rovers Sign ’65-Goal’ Daniel Farke-Coached Striker

Blackburn Rovers have completed the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach centre-forward Semir Telalovic for an undisclosed fee, the club have officially announced.

The 23-year-old has penned a three-year deal with the Riversiders with the option to extend his contract for a further year, taking his stay at Ewood Park up to at least 2026. Telalovic will also wear the number 33 jersey, Blackburn have confirmed.

Telalovic made his debut at Borussia Park back in January under now-Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke so the Lilywhites boss will know all about the frontman when the two teams first clash in December.

Speaking to club media at the official unveiling of the centre-forward, Rovers’ Director of Football Gregg Broughton admitted his delight with the signing:

“We are delighted to make Semir our seventh signing this summer and our second striker on a permanent contract.

“Making his breakthrough under Daniel Farke at Monchengladbach last season after his prolific form for their second team, Semir will bring great pace, finishing ability and directness to our forward options.”

Broughton also claimed that the former SSV Ehingen-Süd attacker has scored 65 goals in just over double the number of games in his professional career so far:

“At the age of 23, Semir still has huge potential to develop, but has already experienced six years of senior football, scoring 65 goals in 132 games.”

Telalovic shared Broughton’s sentiment and gave Blackburn supporters a little teaser of what to expect from him this season [quotes via BR club media]:

“I’m a striker who is very fast and physical and love to be in the game, playing football and scoring goals. I think my physical attributes and speed will fit playing in England.

“This is a big step for me, but I wanted a big step and I think I can improve a lot at my age playing in a new country, in a new culture and in front of new supporters.”

Writer’s View

It is unclear how Broughton came to the conclusion that Telalovic has managed to bag 65 goals in his career so far, but if the record is true, it’s incredibly impressive – almost one goal every two games.

Hopefully, Telalovic can hit the ground running and showcase his potential in England’s second tier as Blackburn make a push for promotion following last season’s heartache.

The Pilgrims will take on Blackburn at a sold-out Home Park tomorrow in their last game before a two-week international break

Steven Schumacher sees a couple of similarities between his Plymouth Argyle side and that of Jon Dahl Tomasson at Blackburn Rovers.

The two teams will meet in Championship action at a sold-out Home Park tomorrow in the final match before the first two-week international break of the 2023/24 season.

Argyle and Blackburn have comparable playing styles to each other, according to Schumacher, as well as largely young squads.

The Pilgrims are coming off back-to-back, last-gasp 2-1 defeats at home to Southampton and away to Birmingham City, leaving them in 16th position in the table with four points from the same number of games.

Rovers, meanwhile, are in ninth place on seven points following their 1-0 victory on the road against Watford last Sunday.

Tomasson, a former Denmark international striker who played more than 100 times for his country, then made wholesale changes to his team for Blackburn’s midweek Carabao Cup tie at League Two side Harrogate Town and they still won 8-0.

Schumacher said: “I think they are a really good team. What I have seen of them, I really like the way they play. They have got a young squad, a similar average age to ourselves.

“They play with good energy, not too dis-similar shape to what we play. They are in good form, they had a great win last week (at Watford) so we are expecting another really tough game in the Championship.”

Although Argyle lost to Birmingham, and then 4-2 to Premier League visitors Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday, Schumacher took a lot of positives out of both matches to carry forward into the Blackburn clash.

He said: “I thought the performance on Tuesday night was really good. To go up against a Premier League and play as well as we did was encouraging.

“Obviously, the result didn’t go our way but we played really well, and then equally the same statement for Birmingham City. I thought the lads who started that game played really well. We are not too far away, I don’t think, from being a really good team.

“If we can just keep that performance level going for the whole game, concentrate throughout and try and be a bit more clinical with the opportunities we are creating then we will be fine.”

After playing Blackburn, Argyle will not be back in action again until Saturday, September 16 when they travel to Ryan Lowe’s Preston North End.

Schumacher said: “We had a look at the first five fixtures we were going to play and we knew they were all going to be hard.

“We have managed to get four points out of the opening four, which is level par. If we can get some points on Saturday that will be great.

“If we can get a win then I think it would be an acceptable start, and we could look at it and think we could potentially have been unbeaten as well with the two last minute goals, but that isn’t the case.”

Schumacher reported no injury problems from the games against Birmingham and Palace, with defender Macaulay Gillesphey added to the substitutes’ bench for the latter after previously being ruled out after groin surgery in the summer.