His signing was universally popular among the fanbase, but whether down to circumstance or opportunity, Kasey Palmer flattered to deceive at Rovers.

One of Chelsea’s hoard of young players farmed out on loan, Palmer is set to spend a third consecutive season away from Stamford Bridge, with Bristol City his fourth different loan club.

His statistics at Rovers, 10 starts in 26 Championship games, one goal and no assists, could be viewed in two ways.

Those in Palmer’s camp would suggest he hasn’t had the opportunities he deserved, or craved, and of those 10 starts, none came in his favoured central role behind the striker. Indeed, two were in experimental sides at West Brom and Sheffield United while he even played up front in the defeat at Preston.

Those in the opposite corner would suggest failing to complete 90 minutes on all but one occasion demonstrates he hasn’t taken his opportunities when they have come along.

Palmer was signed to challenge and compete with Bradley Dack. After one-and-a-half seasons at Championship level, the Chelsea man had more experience than Dack. But he didn’t want to just be an understudy and felt the pair could play together in the same team and link-up to good effect.

But on the evidence we saw he failed to deliver on the promise.

Fans became frustrated by his lack of end product which followed each step-over, while there was at times an unwillingness to track back, something that could never be labelled at Dack.

Indeed, in most fans’ eyes, Joe Rothwell has overtaken Palmer in any potential pecking order.

In the three games Dack missed through injury in August, Palmer was unavailable for one of them, and played out wide in the other two, as Tony Mowbray opted for Adam Armstrong and Elliott Bennett in Dack’s role for games against Reading and Brentford, in which Palmer scored the winner.

There were moments when you could see flashes of Palmer’s promise. Not least at Bristol City away, where he enjoyed a fine first half, while the game at West Brom in October was arguably his best in a Rovers shirt.

His ability to ghost past a player with ease left you wanting more, and that was the frustration, ‘more’ very rarely came.

His departure will leave a hole in Rovers’ attacking ranks but more in number than anything else.

There should be no animosity towards an affable young man who you feel will benefit from seeking permanent roots somewhere, rather than being moved around on loan.

Not all temporary moves work out, for every Harrison Reed there is a Rekeem Harper, a Jack Byrne, a Martin Samuelsen…

It’s a market Rovers will continue to utilise though, with four spots now open after Palmer’s recall and Ben Brereton’s switch having been made permanent.