Blackburn Rovers are closing in on the arrival of Gary Rowett in the dugout at Ewood Park, with their search for a new manager expected to end in the coming days.

Rovers have been without a manager for more than a week, as Valerien Ismael departed the club on deadline day following an extremely difficult first half of the season and a January transfer window that left the Frenchman without the striker he desired.

The Lancashire club remains in the relegation zone, despite defeating Sheffield Wednesday in their debut game without a head coach, just one day after he quit BB2. However, they were defeated 2-0 by Norwich City over the weekend, and they are currently 22nd in the Championship table.

Nonetheless, Blackburn should have a new manager in control on Saturday when they go to West London to face QPR at Loftus Road, and the duration of his contract has been revealed.

How long will Gary Rowett sign with Blackburn Rovers for as the appointment approaches

Leicester City expressed interest in Rowett after sacking Marti Cifuentes last month, and the former Oxford United and Derby County manager has been in great demand over the last week.

However, it appears that Blackburn are poised to win the race for his signature. According to Alan Nixon, Rovers are continuing to pursue a deal to bring the 51-year-old to Lancashire.

Rowett will sign a two-and-a-half-year contract at Ewood Park, and his first assignment will be to maintain the club’s relatively solid away record this weekend against QPR, as Rovers strive for their sixth road victory of the season.

However, the true test will be at home, where Blackburn has only won three games in 2025/26. With Leicester presently leading the Lancashire side on goal difference following their point deduction, there is still plenty of time for them to turn their season around.

Gary Rowett has lots of championship experience.

After a challenging year in which Rovers went from a play-off contender to a Championship club struggling for survival, bringing in a manager with second-tier experience and a no-nonsense mentality is essential.

Rowett delivers exactly that, and his record in the division is impressive. This is despite a rough stint with Oxford earlier this season, and he has been at the right end of the table on multiple occasions, most notably at Derby.

He led the Rams to the play-offs in 2017/18, however they were defeated over two legs by Fulham in the semi-finals. The Bomsgrove-born manager has reached the top six with Millwall, and he has also worked at the bottom with the U’s and Stoke City.

Gary Rowett Championship Managerial Statistics (TransferMarkt)

Matches: 418 Wins: 158

Rowett’s stubborn style of play may be the key to Blackburn’s safety, as they have drawn 135 games and lost 125. They have scored 507 goals and conceded 463 goals, with 609 points. It also provides continuity from Ismael’s realistic approach, and Rowett’s ability to achieve immediate results, make his teams more difficult to beat, and effectively fight relegation could make him a tremendous success at Ewood Park.