Ryan Hedges has set his sights on helping Blackburn Rovers back to the Premier League after completing his move to Ewood Park.
Hedges has completed the formalities of his move from Aberdeen after signing a three and a half year deal with the English Championship side.
The Wales international joins a Rovers side sitting second in English football’s second tier and he is targeting promotion following his return to English football.
The former Don said: “I’m over the moon to finally be here and it feels as if it’s been a long time coming.
Thank you @aberdeenfc for the past 2 1/2 years playing for this great club. Thank you to all the fans, staff and players for everything during my time here and I wish the team every success for the future ⚽️❤️ https://t.co/upzWdY5Qy3
— Ryan Hedges (@RyanHedges95) January 30, 2022
“With the interest there in the summer, I’ve been keen to get myself through the door and I’m thankful that I’m here now.
“Looking at the squad and the buzz around the place, it’s something I want to be a part of to help get the team back to the Premier League.
“Every footballer wants to play in the Premier League and I’m no different. I see this as the perfect place to achieve that dream.”
🗣️ "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢."
🤩 Our newest signing @RyanHedges95 has his eyes set on reaching the Premier League with #Rovers.
🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/lmCAAvNLe7
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) January 30, 2022
Rovers style of play will suit
Hedges points to the resilience shown by Rovers following their 7-0 defeat to promotion rivals Fulham in November to push themselves up to second in the Championship and believes the style of play Tony Mowbray has implemented at Ewood Park will suit his game.
He said: “I remember seeing the Fulham result and noticed how the team have kicked on and done amazingly well since that result.
“I’ve kept my eye on things and the team have gone from strength to strength.
✍️ We are delighted to confirm the signing of Wales international Ryan Hedges from Aberdeen on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
👇 More details below.#Rovers 🔵⚪️
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) January 30, 2022
“Speaking to the manager, everything he said to me about his style of play and his ambitions, it really did speak volumes. It suits me down to the ground.
“He wants attacking players to be in the best possible positions with a lot of the ball, and that’s exactly what I want to hear.
“I’ve wanted to be a Rovers player from January 1 and to help the team achieve what we all want to achieve.
“I’m looking to take this opportunity by the scruff of the neck and really make the most of it.”
Mowbray hopes to make Hedges a polished gem
The fee is undisclosed but is believed to be in the region of £200,000 and Rovers boss Mowbray is delighted to finally get his man after seeing his club’s £400,000 bid for Hedges rejected by Aberdeen last summer.
The former Celtic and Hibernian boss said: “He’ll bring a nice left foot, he’ll bring athleticism, he’ll bring a bit of power and size, and hopefully a goal or two along the way.
“He’s got the confidence, he’s got a lovely left foot, he can nick a goal, he can shoot, he can score, he can head it. We’re trying to give him the opportunity to see if he can make it at this level and help us.
“Every club looks at Scottish footballers and he’s got the potential to be a really decent player.
“He has to work really hard to try and get in our team and help us progress, if we can, like we did when we signed Adam Armstrong and Joe Rothwell.
“You have to polish them up and they have to know how we play. We’ll work with him really hard and try to make him into a player that the fans love.”