Blackburn Rovers' transfer stance on summer deal for McGuire

After failing to sign the USA striker during the January transfer window, Rovers said, via a club statement, officials would fly to Orlando to revisit the deal ahead of the summer transfer window.

Rovers continue to scout McGuire and attended the USA's recent friendly against France this week. However, a deal hasn't been struck with Orlando City as of yet.

Director of Football Gregg Broughton explained that Rovers can't commit to any permanent transfers until they know which division they'll be playing in. Equally, John Eustace will have to give his input as to whether he wants the deal to go ahead.

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"We were at the game on Monday night where he was playing for the USA in a 2-2 draw against France," Broughton told The Lancashire Telegraph.

"He started the game and we were there live. Our chief executive came out on behalf of the board and said we'd revisit this deal as a permanent transfer for the summer.

"When I look at the football side of the club, there are three things to be aware of. We are doing everything we can to make sure we're in the Championship, that's the first port of call.

"Secondly, we have to have exact clarity on the wage and transfer budget for the summer which will come off the back of our league status. Thirdly, John Eustace as the new head coach has to have some input in the same of what the squad looks like next season.

"We will never sign a player as a club without the head coach signing it off. We have to get across those three areas first before making an absolute commitment to signing Duncan or any other player this summer."

Rovers missed out on McGuire's signature because of an administrative error, with the documents for his move accidentally saved instead of submitted before the EFL deadline. It is the second successive January where a deadline deal has fallen through due to a paperwork problem.

Broughton admitted a lack of communication from the club has allowed alternative theories to spread. He revealed an internal inquiry is ongoing after the error but couldn't elaborate further for legal reasons.

"It was different circumstances this January to last January," Broughton said.

"We put in place very robust things to make sure those issues couldn't happen again. We ensured we had a working office in the summer at Brockhall, we made sure the directors were here, there was no clash with a game and we made sure the IT staff were here too.

"What you can't account for is a human error which was the situation that caused Duncan's transfer to fall through. That's not making an excuse, it is inexcusable.

"That is the genuine reason. The trouble with life right now is that there is a vacuum of information, conspiracies then bubbles. There have been more sinister accusations as to why it didn't go through.

"We have to take responsibility for that vacuum of information. Most supporters will accept, they won't like it or agree with it, but they will accept it if you come out and put your hands up and say we got it wrong.

"There was a vacuum of information and that caused all sorts of theories to rise on the back of that. I acknowledge that delaying this interview, it allowed people to speculate that there were other reasons for the transfer failing."

He added: "I have to support my recruitment team and to have that deal collapse for a second January in a row because of an administrative error is not acceptable.

"We can't be operating at a non-league level working like that, never mind the Championship. The board know my feelings on what action should be taken on the back of that and let's see what decisions are made going forward.

"There is an enquiry going on which is being led by the administrative side of the club. I am not at liberty to go into that because there is confidentiality around that in terms of the results.

"Some things have to be confidential and this is one of those. I am not trying to avoid any questions, I am here fronting up today."