Stoke City central defender Ben Gibson is expected to join Blackburn Rovers in January, after falling out of favour in the Potteries since Mark Robins’ arrival.

According to Alan Nixon, Blackburn has made a bid for Stoke defender Ben Gibson.

Gibson, who is on a hefty £35,000-per-week deal, according to Capology calculations, has made few appearances since Robins’ arrival in January 2025.

Eric Bocat and Aaron Cresswell’s injuries at left-back have provided the 32-year-old with much-needed game time in recent games, albeit in a lesser position than he is accustomed to.

Stoke presently do not have any available senior full-backs, so Gibson has had to fill in for Robins, but that does not appear to be the case for long, with a move to Blackburn on the horizon.

Given his high salaries and Blackburn’s financial situation, it appears that a loan deal is the most likely option, with talks between the two clubs well underway ahead of the start of the January window.

Blackburn Rovers’ move for Stoke City defender Ben Gibson raises questions.

When asked if they thought Gibson’s signing was reasonable or unimpressive, Football League World’s Blackburn fan pundit, Simon, replied, “In terms of experience, it would be good because he has a lot of experience at this level.”Obviously, in addition to Stoke, he has previously played for Norwich and a few more clubs at this level.”The only downside for him is he’s obviously previously played for Burnley as well, and obviously, with the rivalry between Burnley and Blackburn, I don’t think it would be a signing that would win the fans over.”In that case, there is currently a significant rift between fans and how the club is operated, with fans boycotting home games and staying absent, so it would not be the wisest signing to make at this time.”

Ben Gibson will provide defensive backup for Valerian Ismael at Blackburn Rovers.

With Scott Wharton and Hayden Carter missing due to injury, Ismael has been forced to rotate his defence, with Yuri Ribeiro and George Pratt filling in.

Gibson, a natural left-footed centre-back, would give adequate depth in the Rovers back line when needed, as well as valuable Championship experience, having made over 250 second-tier outings.

As a short-term alternative, Gibson makes perfect sense for Ismael, even if he isn’t the most thrilling signing the Lancashire club has ever made, especially given his history with Burnley.

Blackburn identified important areas for improvement at the start of the winter transfer window and wasted no time in completing a move for Gibson.

Despite Stoke’s lack of defensive options, it appears that the Potters are willing to split ways with the defender for the next six months, as his contract runs until the summer of 2027.

Thier eagerness to let Gibson to depart, despite their lack of current options, suggests that he is unlikely to play a significant role in the club’s future plans, since Robins will undoubtedly be looking for additions once the January market opens.