Sky Bet Championship side Blackburn Rovers have confirmed that midfielder John Buckley has signed a new long-term deal with the club.

The 19-year old, who has been on Rovers’ books since the age of six, has caught the eye in the youth setup at Ewood Park, playing an integral role in the club's Premier League 2 Division 2 title win last term.

Reports from TEAMtalk claimed that Premier League giants Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United had all been monitoring the progress of the midfield prospect, and were looking to swoop with only a year remaining on Buckley's deal at Blackburn.

But the Lancashire club have now confirmed that Buckley has penned a new deal at Ewood Park, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2022 - and speaking about his new deal, Buckley said: "I'm over the moon - it's something I've been working towards all season, to get a new contract, so hopefully I can just keep pushing on now."

On the pitch, Blackburn's bid for promotion has derailed in recent times - Tony Mowbray's men have failed to pick up a win in their last five league games, and have slipped to 15th position in the Championship table.

The Verdict

This is a massive boost for Blackburn Rovers, as Buckley is clearly a very talented player.

It is a massive statement of intent by the club to tie him down to a new deal despite interest from massive clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United, and in any other situation, Buckley's head may well have been turned.

I have seen him play on more than one occasion, and he is definitely capable of playing in the first-team in coming years.