"A ridiculous offer" - Pundit reacts to Blackburn Rovers, Jay Stansfield news | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has told FLW his verdict on Blackburn Rovers' pursuit of Fulham forward Jay Stansfield

Highlights

Carlton Palmer believes it would have to take a ridiculous offer from Blackburn Rovers to win the race to sign Jay Stansfield from Fulham.

According to Alan Nixon, the Lancashire outfit have joined the competition for the striker this summer.

Stansfield has been the subject of transfer interest throughout the summer following his return to Craven Cottage after the end of his Birmingham City loan spell.

The forward scored 12 times from 43 appearances in the Championship for the Blues last year, who suffered relegation to League One (all stats from Fbref).

Despite dropping to the third tier, the Midlands outfit have made two bids for the 21-year-old, according to The Mirror, which have been rejected.

Carlton Palmer makes Jay Stansfield transfer claim

Palmer believes that Fulham are unlikely to part ways with Stansfield this summer following comments from manager Marco Silva.

He has suggested only a very big offer could tempt the Premier League side into a sale after Stansfield featured in the team’s opening fixture of the season last Friday night.

“Blackburn Rovers under John Eustace have had a very positive start to the season, with an opening day and a draw, see them sitting in fourth place after two games,” Palmer told Football League World.

“They have lost their top scorer, which was always going to be the case, [Sammie] Szmodics, who scored 27 goals, was the Championship top scorer, has moved on to Ipswich Town for £9 million, plus add-ons.

“So John Eustace has turned his attention to 21-year-old Jay Stansfield, who impressed on his loan spell with Birmingham City last season.

“Although Birmingham got relegated, he played 43 games and scored 12 goals.

“Birmingham City have had two offers for the player rejected, and [Marco] Silva, the Fulham manager, has insisted he’s staying at Fulham.

“He came on as a late substitute against Manchester United in the opening day defeat.

“Silva said everything that has been over the last couple of seasons, being allowed out on loan, has brought him back to this point, and so he wants to keep him in the squad, and he’s going nowhere.

“Would he be a good replacement for Szmodics? Yes he would.

“As I said, as I said, 27 goals, he’s a lot to replace, but scoring 12 goals in a poor side that got relegated certainly could hit the target of 20 for Blackburn.

“But will Blackburn bust the bank to get him? Because that’s what I think they’ll have to do, it would have to be a ridiculous offer for Fulham to let him go.

“Hence why he’s not gone to Birmingham City, also Birmingham did get relegated to League One, and Blackburn are in the Championship, and John Eustace has managed the player.

“It would be a good replacement, but the noise coming out of Fulham from the manager himself is that Jay Stansfield is going nowhere.”

Fulham’s Jay Stansfield stance

Silva has confirmed that previous loan spells at Exeter City and Birmingham were part of the development plan for Stansfield.

Speaking ahead of the Man United game, the Portuguese coach confirmed that the forward is set to be a part of their squad for the campaign ahead.

“Everything we have planned for Jay over the last two seasons happened,” said Silva, via West London Sport.

“The first season was to go to League One for six months, the second a full season in Championship where he was one of the best players for Birmingham and scored a lot of goals.

“There have been approaches for him from Championship clubs but I have decided he will be part of the squad.”

Blackburn may need to move onto other targets

If Fulham aren’t looking to part ways with Stansfield, then Rovers should look to move on to other targets at this stage.

Time is running out on the transfer market, with the window set to close in a little over a week.

While Stansfield would be a solid signing, they did at least bring Makhtar Gueye and Yuki Ohashi into the team this summer, which has strengthened their attacking options.

But if they want to reinvest the sale of Sammie Szmodics into finding another forward, they will need to move on from Stansfield, as Silva has made it clear how unlikely his signing will be for Rovers.