Shock Rovers Return for Sutton?

It is being reporting that Chris Sutton could make a shock, and if I’m honest totally unexpected return to Blackburn Rovers.

The 33-year-old Rovers legend is currently a free agent following his release by Birmingham City in the summer following their relegation from the Premiership, and as such could sign for Rovers, or anyone else for that mater immediately despite the transfer window being closed.

The forward, who can also play in defence which could make him a more attractive proposition, once formed one half of the formidable “SAS” strike partnership with Alan Shearer, once one of the most lethal and feared partnerships in England.

Sutton arrived at Ewood Park for £5 million in July 2004, at the time an English transfer record. His prolific partnership with Alan Shearer in the 1994-1995 season would see Rovers crowned Premiership Champions, the clubs first Title since 1914.

Following Rovers’ relegation from Premiership at the end of 1998-1999 season he would be sold to Chelsea for £10 million. An unhappy spell with the Londoners would see him net only once in twenty-eight League appearances with him leaving for Celtic the following summer for £6 million.

A highly successful spell in Scotland, winning numerous trophies and scoring goals a plenty with Celtic could not however see him add to his one and only England cap (won whilst with Rovers in 1997), despite numerous cries for him to have been given the chance.

Having fallen out of favour under new Celtic boss Gordon Strachan, Sutton returned to England in January on a free transfer when signing for Birmingham, however injuries restricted his appearances and his high wages would see him released in the summer as to remove him from the St Andrews wage bill.

A groin injury over the summer has prevented a link up with a new club thus far, but as a full recovery nears he has been linked with several moves recently, one to another former club, his first club indeed Norwich City, but this failed to materialise. A move to Ipswich on a pay as you play deal had also been rumoured, again to no avail.

Eurosport now report that Rovers, Aston Villa, managed by his former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill, and an as yet undisclosed third party are the front runners to land the forward.

Despite being a Rovers legend, with such a great record a return to Ewood would surprise me, and unless deployed as a central defender, which would probably be unlikely, I’m not really sure that such a move would come off? I’d think that a reunion with Martin O’Neill would be most likely…

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