Ben Brereton Diaz will join Villarreal on a free transfer in the summer when his Blackburn deal ends.

The Chile international has been a key player for Rovers over the years and his quality has been evident in the current campaign, where he has scored nine goals in 27 games.

However, with his contract expiring, there has been constant speculation surrounding Brereton Diaz over the past few windows but it appears he will be ending the season at Ewood Park.

Then, reporter Fabrizio Romano revealed, the forward will link up with the La Liga side, who are currently fifth in the table and firmly in the hunt to be playing Champions League football next season.

"Ben Brereton Díaz has full agreement to join Villarreal in June as free agent — deal sealed and completed. Premier League clubs were tracking him too but Brereton will join Villarreal."

As mentioned, that doesn't change anything in the short-term for Blackburn, with Brereton Diaz having featured in the FA Cup draw with Birmingham City this afternoon.

The verdict

This is a very exciting move for Brereton Diaz because there's every chance Villarreal will be playing in Europe next season - and quite possibly in the Champions League.

So, the appeal of the move is obvious and you have to say it's a great bit of business from the Spanish side.

For Blackburn, it's obviously a shame to lose such a key player on a free but the fans will appreciate all Brereton Diaz has done for the team and he will now be determined to end his time at Rovers with a promotion.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.