Blackburn Rovers secure signing of Irish defender Connor O’Riordan
Connor O’Riordan Credit: Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers have officially announced the signing of Connor O’Riordan from Crewe Alexandra.
The 20-year-old defender has inked a four-and-a-half-year deal, which will keep him at Ewood Park until June 2028.
O’Riordan began his football journey at the Alex Academy at just six years of age.
He made his first-team debut for Crewe in a 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in December 2021.
After a series of impressive performances, including a short-term loan to Raith Rovers, O’Riordan established himself as a mainstay in the Crewe defence, making significant contributions including scoring three goals this season.
His performances not only caught the eye at the club level but also on the international stage.
O’Riordan made his debut for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s in a match against Kuwait and has since earned additional caps.
Gregg Broughton, Rovers’ Director of Football, expressed his excitement about the new signing.
“We are delighted to welcome Connor to Blackburn Rovers and I would like to congratulate Crewe for their incredible development work," he said.
“Connor will bring an aerial presence in both boxes, a calmness in possession and a desire to do the ugly things needed to be a first-class defender.
“We have had to be patient with this signing, after initially having offers turned down by Crewe in the summer, and we have beaten significant interest from other clubs to conclude the deal.
O’Riordan is set to train with his new teammates but will be ineligible for the upcoming FA Cup fourth-round tie against Wrexham due to his earlier participation in the competition with Crewe.
