OWEN Coyle feels he can be very selective in the January transfer window as he looks to add quality to what he feels is already a strong Rovers squad.

But the Rovers boss is anticipating a busy month, with incomings and outgoings expected, and believes his side will head into the new year already in a healthy position.

Coyle is targeting only a couple of additions next month having signed 13 players in the summer and the Rovers boss wants a quality over quantity approach should funds be made available by the club’s owners Venky’s.

“From having what I would call a shell in the summer, we had to get a lot of numbers in,” Coyle said.

“Having built a decent squad we can now be very selective in terms of the areas, and by selective I mean that we don’t need three or four, we can get one or two players to improve us.

“And I think that’s the key for January, it’s that the players improve us on the field in terms of them being better than what is already here.

“If we continue what we’re doing, and the funding is available, then we can bring in those players that can kick us on to the next level.”

Rovers lost first-choice central defenders Shane Duffy and Grant Hanley in the summer window, with Coyle also inheriting a squad with no senior striker on the books.

The Ewood boss made late moves in the last window, bringing in Charlie Mulgrew and Marvin Emnes on deadline day, as well as signing Derrick Williams and Tommie Hoban just days prior to the window closing.

Ahead of the window re-opening on January 1, Coyle admits he’s satisfied with his summer recruits.

“I already have in my mind how I would like to improve the club in January,” he added.

“In every transfer window you want to try and improve your club.

“Towards the end of the last one I think we brought some good players in and that has helped us put together a team which has being play well of late.

“When you sign any player, whether it’s on a free transfer, a loan, or for £10m, there’s always an element of a gamble in respect of how do they settle in to your club, the environment and is it a good fit for them?

“You never get every one of them right, I know that from my own experience in the game, but I think we have got out percentages right.

“Some of the players we have brought in, in difficult finances, have shown to be very good players.

“People are very quick to judge, that’s the nature of the game, but given time I think those players will show their quality which will only help us.

“We have continued to get better as the season has gone on, we’re striving to improve, and I believe we will.”

Coyle also hinted there could be a couple of exits in January but those departures are expected to see fringe players leaving the club rather than established first team stars.

The Rovers boss added: “There might also be players within the squad who maybe we think might be expendable that we could freshen things up so I think it’s fair to say that January will be a busy month.

“But for me it’s always the same aim, to make the club better.

 “I certainly have a clear plan in my mind of how we can move the club forward and there’s going to be times where we need help with that in respect of bringing one or two players in that can help the football club grow and be assets to the club because that’s got to be the way forward.

“I would love to have those permanent ones who we can grow and develop, to play in the team straight away, but also be assets moving forward and at a certain time that has to happen.”