As ever, the focus for Rovers supporters ahead of transfer deadline day has been the likelihood of incomings.

They are now in to the final 48 hours of being able to do deals, for both permanent and loan signings, before the deadline passes at 5pm on Thursday.

A new defender would certainly ease some fans’ concerns, while Tony Mowbray would move for an experienced goalkeeper should the right deal be available.

Speaking on the day the players returned for pre-season training in June, Mowbray revealed five as the number of signings he could foresee making.

Rovers are currently at that number, but have since sold David Raya to Brentford.

His departure, as well as that of Joe Nuttall, pocketed Rovers in the region of £3.5m, initially, with £5m spent on Sam Gallagher.

Rovers have also added two Premier League loan players, in Brighton goalkeeper and Manchester City defender Tosin Adarabioyo, with both deals requiring loan fees, with experienced pair Stewart Downing and Bradley Johnson arriving on free transfers.

But what as to the possibility of outgoings so to free up finance for possible incomings?

The deadline is tight, and the options limited, so the likelihood seems unlikely at this stage.

Goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler saw the 12-month option in his deal taken up this summer, and while Mowbray didn’t rule out the possibility of the 30-year-old departing earlier this summer, any addition to the goalkeeping ranks now would be to allow Andrew Fisher to leave on loan, rather than to free Leutwiler to depart.

While the window for Championship clubs shuts on Thursday, teams in League One and League Two have until August 31 to complete loan deals, with plenty of interest in Rovers’ crop of promising youngsters.

Mowbray would like to see Fisher go out on loan, after his spell in non-league last season, but while Joe Hilton’s arrival from Everton would cover the Under-23s should he leave, Rovers would be reluctant for him to leave without another ‘keeper arriving.

In defence, Rovers know all too well about leaving themselves too short of options after being stung by the decision to loan out Paul Downing in January.

The ink on his departure to League One side Doncaster had only just dried when Rovers were left to rue the absence of four central defenders to injury at the same time, which coincided with a run of one win in 11 games.

That will certainly be on the mind when making decisions on the immediate futures of Tyler Magloire has loan interest from League One, and Joe Grayson, who finished the season at Grimsby Town, but a player Mowbray admires..

Incomings in that department will certainly be the immediate focus.

Derrick Williams is nearing a return from injury, with he and Ryan Nyambe providing versatility in the backline, but another centre half would certainly make the squad look healthier.

Sam Hart will also be sticking around, after spending the last 18 months out on loan, following an impressive pre-season, and is nearing a return from a hamsting injury.

Richie Smallwood was an ever-present in the League One promotion winning campaign, but didn’t feature in any of the final seven matches of last season and was left out of the squad on the opening day.

The tough-tackling midfielder has 12 months left to run on his contract, and had been seen by some as a possible departure, but instead he will stay and fight for his place.

Rovers appear well stocked in attack, but having worked hard to provide competition for places, a departure in this area also looks unlikely.

Nuttall, after not featuring in the pre-season friendlies after scoring the winner at Barrow, always looked set to move on, with the only factor being whether that would be on loan or a permanent deal, with Blackpool eventually winning the race for his signature.

With Rovers having been proactive in offering contracts to players over the course of the last two seasons, of the season players only Leutwiler, Smallwood, Amari’i Bell, Danny Graham and Dominic Samuel are out of contract next year, leaving little wriggle-room for departures.