Rovers are close to appointing a new head of European scouting – but have so far been unable to secure their top overseas targets.

Tony Mowbray has been keen to strengthen the club’s recruitment yet further, and is in the process of adding to his backroom team.

Rovers triedin the summer to add to their ranks with overseas recruits, but two goalkeepers and two midfielders were among those to slip through their grasp.

Lewis Holtby was brought in on a free transfer in September, the 29-year-old having been without a club since leaving Bundesliga II club Hamburg, a division Rovers have scouted extensively.

In this window they are keen to sign Lech Poznan winger Kamil Jozwiak, but have so far been unable to strike a deal with the Polish club who are keen to hang on to their once-capped international until at least the summer.

“We’re working hard on them. The foreign market, the European scouting situation we’re still progressing,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“We are close to bringing in a head of European scouting and that is something we’re trying to develop.

“You have to try and fill your building with as many good players as possible that suit the coach’s methods and then you have a chance. The manager has to then sell the way the team plays and on you go.

“That’s how you build football clubs and recruitment is so important, so we’re trying to open the market place up rather than just the English market.

“Invariably that would be the lower league because that’s where you generally can afford to buy players from.

“We can’t afford Premier League players and with the Championship, if you’re trying to get players better than what you’ve got it’s difficult to buy from the league you’re playing in because generally the price is doubled.

“The European market is where you need to look to get the quality required. You’re always gambling a little bit on whether you’ve got the right personality, can they adapt to the intensity and bringing their family over?

“It’s not easy but that’s why it’s important you don’t go and waste money and bring in loads of players and hope you get one of four or five right.

“You have to really try and do your homework and get them right if you can.”

Rovers are yet to add to their squad in January, and have also found asking prices of League One teams out of their reach.

Portsmouth’s 12-goal winger Ronan Curtis another favourite of Mowbray, with the Pompey unwilling to sell, and the 23-year-old in no rush to move, that is a deal that is also unlikely at this stage.

Mowbray admits whether buying from a lower division, or overseas, deals are difficult to get done.

He added: “I don’t think it’s a frustration, it’s just part and parcel of whether you’re trying to buy a player from down the road or a different country.

“You still have the same problems, you have to do deals, get the finances right, deal with agents, parents, chief executives, it’s never easy.

“I think ultimately football is about good footballers, whatever nationality you are

“If you bring a foreign player in then potentially they have to settle in and understand the nature of the game, particularly the Championship and the intensity it’s played at.

“There’s a frustration with every signing if you can’t get it done and it drags on

“Everyone wants more money than the players are generally worth.

“When people phone about our players, you pick a number out of the air and that gives them an idea about what they might take.

“Either negotiations start or you frighten them off with that number.

“You need to be the rich guy in football so that when someone gives you a number you can just agree to pay it and get the players. Not many clubs are in that situation

“Loan players, you find a lot of these young Premier League players are on incredible salaries, and they’re unattainable so you’re trying to do deals.

“It’s like a business for these big clubs now, recoup some of the money while another club helps progress their player and then hopefully they’re transfer value rises. They’re difficult deals to put together.”