Championship side Blackburn Rovers are closing in on a deal to sign midfielder Lewis Holtby, German website FussballTransfers have reported.

Holtby is a free-agent after leaving Hamburg at the end of last season, following the club's fourth place finish in the German second tier, meaning Blackburn would be able to sign the 28-year-old despite the transfer window closing last month.

According to the latest reports, Blackburn have held positive talks with Holtby, with the suggestion being that a move to Ewood Park could be completed 'promptly'.

The attacking midfielder spent five years with Hamburg in total, having initially joined the club on loan from Tottenham in 2014, after making 42 appearances in all competitions for Spurs during three seasons at White Hart Lane.

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He also spent a brief time on loan with Fulham in the second half of the 2013/14 season, as the Cottagers were relegated from the Premier League.

Blackburn are currently 12th in the Championship, having won three and lost three of their opening seven league games of the season.

The Verdict

This could prove to be a smart move for Blackburn.

For all the numbers they have in midfield, it does seem as though Bradley Dack is the only one that manager Tony Mowbray currently feels comfortable using in a central attacking midfield role.

Bringing Holtby in would therefore relieve some of the pressure on Dack to produce the sort of match-winning performances many have come to expect him to come up with on a weekly basis, while also offering the club a somewhat ready-made replacement for the 25-year-old.

Considering the clear potential and considerable experience that Holtby has gained throughout his career so far, you certainly feel as though he would be capable of fulfilling that role were he to make the move to Blackburn.