Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has outlined his reasons for loaning skipper Lewis Travis to the Blues, a move first revealed by TWTD this morning but yet to be formally confirmed.

Travis is at Portman Road today to complete the detail of his switch to the Blues, Town having fought off competition from Millwall, who had an £800,000 bid rebuffed in the summer, and Preston.

The 26-year-old has started only two of Blackburn’s last 10 matches, leading to speculation that there might have been some sort of fallout between the manager and his captain.

However, the former Denmark international forward says that’s not the case.

“It's not official yet but he is going away,” Tomasson told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“Trav came to the club in the summer and said that he wanted to go away.

“He didn't succeed in the summer and then he came back in October and said he wanted to go away. The reason are that he wanted to play every week in position six, defensive midfield.

“[Sondre] Tronstad has done really, really well. I have absolutely no problem with Trav, he is a great lad. This is football.

“When a player wants to go away like that, that's the dynamic of football. He now has the opportunity to play at another club for a couple of months. Hopefully, he does really, really well.

“It also creates the opportunity for us as a club. His wages are one of the highest in the squad, which gives us the opportunity to get other players in.

“I expected this could happen, it's a player who wanted to go away twice because he wants to play in one position. We have to respect that.

“I did not fall out with him, absolutely not. I think he's a good lad, we can take that rumour out. I had a good relationship with him.

“This is football, players come and go. That's part of the game. He played a lot for me over all the months, 18 months.

“Experience is always important, we know that. It's also important that a player wants to be in the building.”

Tomasson says Rovers were prepared to allow Travis, who is contracted until the summer of 2026, to leave in the close season had they received the right offer: “If you look at last summer, with everything that happened and the budget cutting, we lost so much experience and players that had played at this level.

“The club would have let him go but they didn't get the amount for him in the summer. There are a few players that went away but the money came into the club which was needed.”

Blackburn have announced the signing of another midfielder, Yasin Ayari, on loan from Brighton.

Photo: Imago Images Sports

ArnieM added 14:02 - Jan 5 He’ll fit like a glove here at Town. It’s their loss and our gain frankly ….
7

blueboy1981 added 14:16 - Jan 5 …. another who cannot get game time elsewhere - for whatever reason !! Oh Well ! - Poundland browsing it has to be, and hope for Quality !!
-43

1RWR added 14:21 - Jan 5 Blue boy…….i hardly think a Blackburn former captain with well over 140 appearances can be described as ‘Poundland’ shopping dear boy? If KMc c thinks he’ll do that’s fine & dandy with me.
16

positivity added 14:30 - Jan 5 if he's half as good as luongo or morsy (2 more blueboy 'poundland' signings, who couldn't get game time elsewhere), then he'll do nicely!
17

number8 added 14:37 - Jan 5 I don't know a lot about him as a player but he has to be better cover in that position than Ball who quite frankly was awful when he played there. So for that reason alone I"m happier than the situation was before today. If he can cover full back positions too great.
5

Ipswichbusiness added 14:46 - Jan 5 So he insists on playing every week in central midfield and his wages are one of the highest in their squad? Sounds like trouble to me, but KMc knows best.
-7

ArnieM added 14:51 - Jan 5 Ipswichbusiness: you vastly underestimate Ashton/ McKenna/ Gamechanger.
3

Help added 14:52 - Jan 5 So a player who "reluctantly" agreed to leave "wanted" out twice???
0

rickw added 15:05 - Jan 5 Sounds to me that Tomasson wanted to save the money of his wages so he's got him out and blamed the player!
0

Bert added 15:23 - Jan 5 Totally correct decision to take him on a loan. KMcK can take a good look at him and if he is a good buy then what’s not like about such an arrangement. It also makes it easier to splash the cash on a much needed striker/target man.
7

Len_Brennan added 15:27 - Jan 5 He is with us for the remainder of the season & is determined to get a move away from Blackburn, to whom he is contracted to for another 2 years; to me that zounds like someone who is going to give his all to prove his worth, to us, or to somebody else come the summer. Worst case scenario here is that we have another proven Championship defensive midfield player, who has leadership qualities & is extremely motivated to do well, in the door until the end of the season. Hopefully we'll be looking at even higher quality midfielders to come in during the Summer, after promotion.

5

Dissboyitfc added 15:34 - Jan 5 What an idiotic thing to say! Totally trust KM and MA!
0

Linkboy13 added 15:37 - Jan 5 I was calling for a combative midfielder to be signed last week and this guy fits the bill perfectly only 26 and experienced at championship level. He hasn't become a bad player over night. Remember Luongo wasn't even training with the first team at Middlesborough and couldn't get on the bench. Morsy was playing regularly for Middlesborough but had a fall out with the manager after being sent off in his last game. Im pretty certain this guy going to be a huge success and will end up signing in the summer that's if his family like it down here.

4

MaySixth added 15:44 - Jan 5 Comments above proof how idiotic some Ipswich fans are.
5

BlueandTruesince82 added 15:56 - Jan 5 Blueboy, even with Town 2nd in the league and the best we have been for 20 years, still not happy. I'd suggest that whoever is starting in front of him isn't doing that well given their league position
3

carsey added 15:56 - Jan 5 @blueboy1981 either you are an idiot or more likely just trying to get a reaction. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but you are constantly antagonistic. @Phil Ham I have posted this before and always mentioned it in end of season surveys but it's " contributors" like @blueboy1981 who just want a fight who cause me and others not to join in discussions. Why is he allowed to exist on here?

5

essexccc added 16:19 - Jan 5 Let’s not get riled by Blueboy. He’s entitled to post even if there is a strong whiff of the Wensum about what he says. Ignore him and concentrate on the positive - after all there’s a hell of a lot of that about at the moment. Personally I’m sure Travis will be a good signing.
6

Len_Brennan added 16:47 - Jan 5 Everyone is entitled to their opinion & to express it, within the bounds of the terms as set out by TWTD. It would be a boring mwssageboard if we all agreed, or worse could only agree, with whatever the approved position was on any particular topic.
4

cooper4england added 16:48 - Jan 5 Was a little concerned about this signing by reading Blackburn manager's comments this has made me feel assured and sounds good.
0

Bert added 17:03 - Jan 5 @Len I would ordinarily agree with you about everyone is entitled to their opinion but certain posters have a history of not abiding by the rules.
1

Suffolkboy added 17:03 - Jan 5 We shall see ! Appears fired up and wanting to exercise influence on the field of play ( where he wants to be ) . Can’t bekuevecKM wiulg import an6 doubtful characters ,nor any who wouldn’t want to git into this vibrant ITFC squad ,who are so united ! Welcome LT , enjoy something special ! COYB
1

Burosmbuttib added 17:32 - Jan 5 Another shrewd appointment which shows that splashing cash does not necessarily lead to success. I wonder if it confirms that Taylor' s game can not be adapted to include the defensive mid field role.
1

Nomore4 added 18:08 - Jan 5 As with all players that come in this window. We can judge the success it’s achieved by performances when called upon….come the end of the season. Hoping now for at least 2 through the door…..joining our club fit and able to slot straight into a 1st 11 and stay there.
1

Nomore4 added 18:27 - Jan 5 Linkboy can’t really compare Morsy or Mass. Both wasn’t club captains when they moved to us. Can’t think of any club captain leaving a club for us? Ever. Mid season makes even less likely.
0

therein61 added 18:30 - Jan 5 Nice to read sensible comments from true Town fans while i ignore the closet canaries, Good luck at our club Trav wish you well
3

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