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Fulham 'to make improved bid for Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz'

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 01 September 2022

Fulham 'to make improved bid for Ben Brereton Diaz'

Fulham are reportedly preparing to make an improved bid for Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz, after seeing an opening offer rejected.

The 23-year-old has attracted interest from a host of European clubs this summer after an impressive 2021-22 campaign in front of goal, scoring 22 goals in 37 Championship appearances.

Fulham have emerged as one of the frontrunners to sign Brereton Diaz on deadline day, with Marco Silva keen to bolster his attacking options and provide competition for star striker Aleksander Mitrovic.

According to Sky Sports News, the Cottagers saw their first offer for the Chile international rejected by Blackburn on Wednesday night, which fell well below the Lancashire club's valuation.

However, the report adds that Fulham are expected to return with an improved bid before the 11pm deadline.

Blackburn Rovers' Ben Brereton Diaz celebrates after the match on December 29, 2021 © Reuters

A separate report from the Daily Mail claims that Nice and Celta Vigo have also made offers for Brereton Diaz this summer, but they are willing to wait until January to negotiate a deal.

Brereton Diaz is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs in January.

Valencia, Villarreal, Everton, Leeds United and Newcastle United have also been credited with an interest in the striker this summer.

Brereton Diaz has made a bright start to the new campaign, scoring three goals in his opening seven Championship games for Blackburn, including a decisive strike in the slender 1-0 win away at Blackpool on Wednesday night.

The Stoke-on-Trent born attacker is understood to have trained with his Blackburn teammates on Thursday morning, with the Championship club, at the time of writing, yet to receive an offer for the striker on deadline day.

Chile's Ben Brereton Diaz celebrates scoring their first goal against Paraguay on October 11, 2021 © Reuters

Speaking after their victory over Blackpool on Wednesday night, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson stated that he is hopeful Brereton Diaz will stay at the club.

"He scored another great goal. He ran in behind the defenders at just the right moment, it was a goal of great timing," the Dane told reporters.

"We know Ben is a top-quality player, so let's just wait and see what happens tomorrow.

"Hopefully he's still at Blackburn on Friday because we need his quality. He's a great lad, too. He works so very hard around the place.

"If Ben isn't staying, whoever comes in for him will need a lot of money. And whatever happens we'll need to use our squad. Hopefully there will be one or two new signings coming in before the window closes."

Prior to joining Blackburn in 2019, Brereton Diaz began his career in the youth academies of Manchester United, Stoke City and Nottingham Forest, and stepped up into the first team with the latter where he spent two years as a senior player.