GARY Bowyer has promised to monitor Alex Baptiste’s situation at Bolton Wanderers ‘very carefully’ in the hope of luring the versatile defender back to Blackburn Rovers on loan.

Wanderers boss Neil Lennon yesterday confirmed he plans to run the rule over Baptiste in the summer.

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That will have come as no surprise to Bowyer as he fully expected the 29-year-old to start pre-season with his parent club.

However the Rovers manager has assured Baptiste he would be welcome back at Ewood Park if his return to the Macron Stadium does not work out.

Bowyer, who is unable to pay fees for new signings under the terms of the club’s Financial Fair Play embargo, said: “Alex has been fantastic for us and given different circumstances we would love to keep him.

“But we’ll monitor that situation very carefully in the summer.

“We knew when we were going to be restricted in terms of the numbers we could bring in it was important we had players who were flexible to play in a certain amount of positions – and he certainly showed that this season.

“I think the run of form he was in toward his injury in the FA Cup game against Liverpool was the best he’d shown all season.

“He made a massive contribution, scoring three goals as well, and he’s a top lad.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with him and if he can’t come back to us then we wish him all the best.”

Baptiste, who made 34 appearances and scored three goals for Rovers before injury ruled him out of the final six games of his season-long loan, has one year left on his Bolton contract.

And Lennon, who was installed into the Wanderers hotseat after Baptiste had been sent out on loan, said: “I haven’t had chance to work with Alex yet.

“He certainly will be here pre-season because he is our player.

“I want to have a good look at him because I have been impressed with what I’ve seen of him when I’ve watched Blackburn play this season.

“I think he could do a job for us but we won’t really know until we take a closer look.”

Bowyer said: “He’s a Bolton player so I’m sure they’ll have monitored him and then it’s up to them.

“Neil will have his list of players who he’d like to work with and bring in and if Alex fits into that we wish him all the best, but if he doesn’t, we’d certainly be interested in bringing him back.”

Midfielder Jay Spearing, who spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Rovers, will also go back to Bolton.

Returning to Rovers will be goalkeeper Jake Kean from Oldham Athletic, midfielder Josh Morris from Fleetwood Town and striker Leon Best from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Morris has been on loan at Fleetwood for the last 15 months.

But it is understood his wages are a likely barrier to extending his Highbury stay.

Best failed to score in 33 appearances for Brighton and Derby this season while Kean’s last appearance for the Latics was on March 17.

Attacker Luke Varney, whose Rovers contract expires in the summer, is set to have his loan at Ipswich Town extended until after the Championship play-offs.