Chelsea star Joao Pedro reacts as Tyrhys Dolan departs Blackburn Rovers
Tyrhys Dolan has shared a new message after joining Spanish outfit Espanyol following his Blackburn Rovers departure.
The 23-year-old notched a decent return of seven goals and six assists in 44 Championship appearances last term.
However, amid a turbulent season which saw boss John Eustace leave in favour of Derby County, Dolan could not help the Lancashire club secure a playoff spot.
Blackburn instead finished seventh in the Championship, two points adrift of eventual playoff semi-final losers Bristol City.
Joao Pedro reacts as Dolan joins Espanyol
Blackburn academy graduate Dolan was a key asset for the Lancashire side in the second tier, and will now put his skills to the test in the Spanish top flight.
The winger took to Instagram on Sunday, 27 July, to share that he is settling into his new surroundings in Catalonia well: “Barcelona files.”
Dolan’s message attracted a like from Chelsea summer signing Joao Pedro, who fired the Blues to Club World Cup glory this summer.
Dolan can succeed in La Liga after Blackburn departure
Football Insider verdict
Dolan’s creative exploits last season played a key role in helping Blackburn launch a serious playoff push despite the challenges posed by the Venky’s ownership of the Ewood Park side.
| Tyrhys Dolan stats | Championship 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 44 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 6 |
The 23-year-old was in particularly strong form at the end of the campaign, notching three goal contributions in his last four Rovers games, including a goal in a 1-0 win over eventual playoff winners Sunderland back in April.
Dolan’s return of seven goals and six assists in the Championship last term marked his best season for Blackburn, while he can now express his quality in La Liga for Espanyol.
Manolo Gonzalez’s men finished 14th in the Spanish top-flight last season, and Dolan can help them further consolidate after his new side won promotion from the second tier in 2024.
The former Blackburn man could struggle against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but he can still cause problems for the majority of next season’s opponents.