The Championship duo and Bundesliga outfit St. Pauli are keen on the midfielder after his stellar campaign on loan away from Sunderland in 2024/25.
With the summer transfer window in full swing, two Championship rivals are fighting with Bundesliga side St. Pauli for a promising Premier League prospect.
Blackburn Rovers ended the second tier campaign adrift of a place in the play-offs, and are now facing a testing summer window ahead with football finance expert Kieran Maguire issuing a damning verdict on Blackburn’s owners.
John Mousinho steered Portsmouth to safety from League One relegation, and Pompey have been dealt a major blow already in the window after target Rob Atkinson signed a new Bristol City contract.
With the 2025/26 Championship campaign still several weeks away, Blackburn and Pompey are reportedly both eyeing a “brilliant” Sunderland midfielder as their next summer signing.
Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis before Sunderland vs Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth eye Sunderland ace Nectarios Triantis
According to the Daily Record, Blackburn and Pompey are both said to be keen on Sunderland starlet Nectarios Triantis, after his breakout campaign came away from the Stadium of Light on loan at Scottish Premier League outfit Hibernian.
Sunderland won the play-off final against Sheffield United to send the Black Cats back to the Premier League, and with the necessity to morph Regis Le Bris’ squad to top flight standard, several Sunderland stars are set for exits this summer.
Triantis impressed during his Hibernian loan and played a pivotal role in Hibs’ third-placed finish behind Celtic and Rangers.
The Australian international’s exploits in the heart of Hibs’ midfield saw Triantis shortlisted for the Player of the Season award, after he scored three goals and notched six assists in 34 SPL outings under Hibs boss David Gray.
Via the Edinburgh Evening News, Hibs boss Gray labelled the 22-year-old “fantastic” last season, and the club remains keen on bringing Triantis back to Hibs permanently this summer, with the same outlet reporting that Sunderland have placed a “£1million price tag” on the central midfielder.
A permanent departure from Sunderland in pursuit of guaranteed gametime seems inevitable for the youngster this summer, given that earlier in the window, Triantis’ agent sent Sunderland a warning that the Australian wouldn’t be a “bit-part player” in the 2025/26 season.
While Blackburn and Portsmouth face competition from Bundesliga side St Pauli for Triantis’ signature, it is Rovers that must win the race to sign him this summer amid the potential exit of Lewis Travis.
Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travers reacts during the Championship match against Sheffield United
Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images
Nectarios Triantis could succeed Blackburn Rovers star Lewis Travis
Blackburn are poised to lose captain Travis this summer, and EFL Analysis understands that Blackburn want a Travis bidding war among the several second tier sides targeting the midfielder.
Earlier in the window, Travis was mooted for a reunion with John Eustace at Derby County, and it also emerged that newly promoted Wrexham are targeting Blackburn’s Travis.
The 27-year-old is a pivotal cog in the Rovers machine, but with the vast Championship interest in his services and Travis entering the final year of his Ewood Park contract, the club’s transfer team could view this window as the perfect chance to cash in on their captain.
Key statistic Nectarios Triantis in 24/25 Lewis Travis in 24/25
Games played 36 38
Goals 3 2
Assists 6 1
Chances created 31 16
Duels won 207 195
Recoveries 201 194
Nectarios Triantis’ stats for Hibernian compared to Lewis Travis’ at Blackburn in 2024/25
Although Triantis is inexperienced in the Championship, with only three second tier appearances to his name, he proved himself capable at a sufficient level last season during his Hibs loan.
The Sunderland loanee outshone Travis in the above metrics pertaining to a central midfielder, and with Hibs boss Gray telling The Scotsman that Triantis has “got really good attributes to be a really good number six”, the Australian could be the perfect long-term replacement for Travis at Blackburn.