Blackburn Rovers captain Elliott Bennett could potentially be set for a late departure this month, or could be set for a summer exit with League One Shrewsbury Town interested, per The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

Bennett is an influential figure at Ewood Park and captains the club, but he has seen his impact on the field limited this campaign due to an ankle ligament injury from which he has only just started to make a return to action in the last few weeks. The 31-year-old has, as a result, managed to make just one appearance in the Championship, which came during the 4-0 win against Derby County in September.

The versatile defender who can play in both the full-back positions and out wide in midfield was an integral part of Blackburn’s side last three seasons making 40 or more appearances in the league in each campaign (Sofascore). The 31-year-old managed to register four assists for Rovers last term in the Championship and his experience has been vital to Tony Mowbray’s side.

Quiz: Did each of these 18 ex-Blackburn Rovers players ever score a goal at Ewood Park?

However, Bennett’s current deal with Blackburn is running down and Shrewsbury Town are interested in taking him from Rovers. It is thought that a deal could potentially be sorted out before the transfer window closes on Monday, or it might have to wait until the summer, per The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

The verdict

Losing Bennett’s presence around the club would likely be a major blow for Rovers as they look to potentially put together a run of form good enough to make the play-offs. The 31-year-old is not always a guaranteed starter now when fit, but he still offers plenty of leadership qualities and experience that is vital to Mowbray’s side.

However, if Blackburn are not wanting to sort out a new deal for him then this might be the last chance they get to cash in on him. Shrewsbury would be a club that could offer him regular game time and he would be an excellent option for a club in League One, having been a consistent performer throughout Mowbray’s sides promotion-winning campaign in 2017/18.

You would imagine that with Blackburn targeting additions to their squad in defence, they would be reluctant to lose Bennett at this stage in the campaign. However, it will be interesting to see whether Shrewsbury present them with an offer than is good enough for them to allow the 31-year-old to move on before Monday’s deadline.