Nigeria Players Abroad
Dapo Afolayan ready to make his mark for Blackburn Rovers in new Championship season
Blackburn Rovers winger Dapo Afolayan says he is fully prepared to make a bigger contribution after a disrupted start to life at the club.
Afolayan joined Blackburn Rovers from St. Pauli in January 2026 but made only eight appearances during the second half of last season. Now fully fit, he believes the new campaign offers an opportunity to establish himself and play a more influential role at Ewood Park.
The 2026–27 EFL Championship season will also begin under a new tactical approach led by Tony Mowbray, with Afolayan saying the style is better suited to his qualities.
Speaking to Rovers TV, the winger said his focus was on earning regular starts and helping Blackburn Rovers build on their preparation during pre-season. He also described the new campaign as a fresh beginning for the squad as a whole.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” Afolayan said. “It’s important for us as a team, after a good preseason, to have a competitive game, because they bring the best out of all of us and get us going.
“The first few weeks of pre-season are always good to get in the building and see everyone again.
“But you feel ready for the action as you get to August and are raring to go for the thick of things when it comes to competitive games, so we’re looking forward to it all starting again.
“I feel good. I’ve had a good preseason and worked hard in the offseason to get to a level off the back of last term, and I’m ready for the new season.”
Afolayan’s limited involvement after his January transfer came during a stop-start period, but his condition has improved ahead of the new campaign. He says the work completed during the off-season has helped him reach the required level for the demands of competitive football.
For Blackburn Rovers, the opening of the 2026–27 EFL Championship season represents the first chance to test their preparations in a competitive setting. Afolayan believes those matches will bring urgency and intensity to a squad that has spent the opening weeks of pre-season rebuilding its rhythm.
The former St. Pauli player is now aiming to turn his improved fitness and familiarity with Tony Mowbray’s tactical ideas into consistent opportunities in the Blackburn Rovers starting line-up. After featuring eight times in the latter part of the previous term, he is targeting a stronger and more productive contribution at Ewood Park.
His immediate priority is to be ready when the competitive fixtures begin in August, with the winger confident that both he and the team are in a better position after their pre-season work.