BLACKBURN Rovers managing director Derek Shaw has branded the club’s dealings in the January transfer window a success.

Rovers kept hold of top scorer Jordan Rhodes and sold captain Scott Dann to Crystal Palace – clearing his ‘Premiership’ wages from the bill.

Shaw insists no-one at Ewood Park wanted to lose Dann to Palace.

But Shaw admits the significant savings Rovers, who lost £36.5m last season, will make on the centre-back will help the club move in the right direction.

Dann was on a weekly wage of more than £30,000 and that figure could have risen above £40,000 if he played twice a week and depending on bonuses.

His salary, combined with his desire to play in the Premier League, led Rovers to accepting an undisclosed bid from Palace.

Shaw said: “We were not happy to lose Scott but it’s been well documented that he was a Premiership-earning player and we had to try and cut that back.”

The terms of the transfer mean Shaw is unable to reveal the initial amount Rovers will receive from Palace but he confirmed Rovers have a number of additional clauses in place in the deal.

Shaw added: “We’ve got some cash up front, we will receive further payments if Palace stay up, and if Palace do not stay up we are covered if they go back to the Premier League with payments. We also have payments over games.

“We are as happy as we can be with what we’ve got for Scott.

“With the sale and the money coming in, we are heading in the right direction.”

Rovers also signed Tom Cairney, Rudy Gestede and Craig Conway during the window and allowed 16 players to leave in permanent or loan deals.

“I think we’ve had a pretty successful window,” said Shaw.

“Two or three of the overseas players have left permanently, a number of young players have gone out to get experience elsewhere, while there’s one or two who have gone out on loan who at this stage will come back after their loans unless offers are received.

“But they are all good savings on our books.

“At the same time we’ve managed to bring in a pretty exciting signing in Tom. Everyone wanted us to do it so it was terrific news that we got it done.

“We also brought in Rudy, who seems to be getting better with every game and becoming a popular player among the supporters, as well as Craig, who was in big demand but who set his sights on coming to Rovers."

While Rovers will continue to look to make savings in a bid reduce their debt and attempt to fall in line with Financial Fair Play regulations, Shaw confirmed boss Gary Bowyer may bring in centre-back cover when the loan window reopens on Saturday.

Shaw added: “I think every credit has to go to the owners because I think that every player that has been requested has been signed.

“We are bringing in youthful players in the main and that’s how we’re trying to rebuild the football club.”