New Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Lambert has been given a boost by the news that he can buy players in the upcoming January transfer window with Rovers' transfer embargo now over.

The Championship club were one of three second-tier sides placed under embargo last December for failure to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, along with Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.

Star name sales were key

Under the management of Gary Bowyer, Blackburn sold two of their key players in Tom Cairney and Rudy Gestede over the summer for a combined fee of around £9 million, though they managed to keep hold of star man Jordan Rhodes.

Rhodes has eight goals in 12 games this season - via provenquality.com

The sale of Rhodes would have almost certainly seen the embargo lifted but Rovers opted instead to play the long game, and a statement on the club's official website states that the process has been a successful one.

Financial care pays off for Blackburn

The statement revealed that the club had held talks with the Football League, and it was decided that Rovers are now "compliant with the rules and regulations of FFP".

The club revealed that "player sales", a "loan conversion agreement" with the owners and "effective cost efficiency savings" had been key in bringing Rovers back in line with financial regulations.

And, while it was asserted that the club will "proceed with restraint" in financial terms to ensure that the club remains on top of its finances, new boss Lambert would be backed as he looks to turn the club's fortunes around.

Rovers target play-off positions

Blackburn had been in with an outside shot of the Championship play-off places last season thanks largely to the prolific frontline pair of Gestede and Rhodes, but they have dropped off somewhat this season.

They currently reside in the bottom half of the table, seven points shy of the top six, but have undergone something of a revival of late and are unbeaten in their last five games, winning two and drawing three.

The Lancashire outfit travel to Bristol City this weekend, before returning to Ewood Park for back-to-back home fixtures with Rotherham United and Nottingham Forest.

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About the author
Sam France
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor at VAVEL UK, part of the VAVEL team 2014-2018.