Blackburn Rovers have moved quickly to snap up Ethan Walker on a free transfer this summer, with the youngster allowed to leave Preston at the end of his contract.

The 19-year-old hasn't agreed fresh terms at Deepdale and it means he will become a free agent when his current deal expires. Rather than having to search for a new club though, Rovers have snapped him up and could utilise him in the same way that they did with Tyrhys Dolan.

Now, with Dolan having followed a similar path from PNE to Blackburn, Ethan Walker has told the club's official website that he does want to 'follow in his footsteps' and make an impression with his new team if given the chance in the Championship.

The forward only ever managed one league outing during his time with the Lilywhites, despite many at the club regarding him as one of the brightest talents in the reserve team. He never could quite break into the starting eleven and has ultimately been allowed to leave without ever being given a go.

Instead, most of his gametime has come on various loan spells in non-league and to Carlisle in League Two. With a move to Ewood Park now complete though, Walker will be hoping that, like Dolan, he can get more action with Rovers.

If he can, then it could allow him to finally live up to his potential - and make North End regret letting go of the 19-year-old. Speaking about the move to the club's official website, the player said: "They both said how great the club is [Dolan and Joe Nolan] and how they really can’t fault anything about Rovers. I know Tyrhys very well. He’s a great friend of mine and he’s helped me make this decision.

“I can thank him for the way he spoke about the club and I want to follow in his footsteps and to try and make a name for myself. It’s only right for me to come here, follow in their footsteps and show what I can do.

“I could be playing on the same pitch as Tyrhys again if everything goes well for me."

The Verdict

Ethan Walker never really got the chance to prove himself at Preston, which is a shame as some PNE fans feel that the youngster looked really promising in the reserve setup and just never got an opportunity at first-team level.

Their loss though is Blackburn's gain. It's paid off in the past with Tyrhys Dolan having really shown how good he can when given the chance for Rovers despite never getting any first-team chances with Preston. Walker will be hoping for a similar experience now he has agreed on this deal.

The 19-year-old might not be thrown straight into the mix as Dolan was but they clearly feel he has potential to have signed him up when the club currently doesn't even have a manager in place. He might have to make do with more reserve team minutes for now but it certainly seems as if he will get more opportunities at Ewood Park now.

If he does, then he could really impress and pay Rovers back for showing faith in him.