Brighton plan to include Christian Walton in their first-team plans next season and won’t be allowing the Rovers 'keeper to leave the AMEX Stadium on loan again.

Walton has kept 12 sheets and been an ever present in Rovers’ Championship matches since arriving from the Seagulls on a season-long loan.

The 24-year-old was brought in as the man to replace David Raya, who signed for Brentford last summer, although Tony Mowbray has stated that Walton wasn’t his first choice option.

Rovers missed out on two overseas goalkeepers last summer, and also resisted the temptation to make a change in January, with Mowbray believing that show of faith was a boost to Walton’s confidence.

He has rewarded his manager with some excellent displays so far in 2020, with a string of important saves, leading many to question the possibility of a longer Ewood Park stay.

Walton is approaching the final year of his contract with Brighton and the 6’5 stopper has played just four times for his parent club since signing him as a scholar from Plymouth in 2013.

Since then the former England Under-21 international has spent seven temporary spells away from Brighton, but The Athletic report this will be his last.

The Premier League side believe Walton is now ready to become a challenger to No.1 Mat Ryan, which could impact on the future of former Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele who has played just once since his move to the south coast in 2018.

“Brighton phoned and asked if were sending him back or keeping him,” Mowbray said after the January window closed.

“I sat him down and said he was going to be our goalie and have total faith in him and I think that’s what he needed, to know the manager was supporting him.

“I’ve never been one for chopping and changing my goalies.

“I’m delighted for Christian because there have been spells where he’s let soft goals in but he’s rewarding us.

“It’s 10 clean sheets now and hopefully a few more before the end of the season.”

Walton spent two seasons with Wigan Athletic, helping them beat Rovers to the League One title in 2017/18 before being a regular in the Championship last season.

Walton looks set to be rewarded with a long-term contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season, which will prompt a move for either Steele, or another of Brighton’s back-up ‘keepers, David Button.

Walton was making his way through in to the first-team at Brighton when Rovers captain Elliott Bennett enjoyed a loan spell at the club during the 2014/15 season.

And Bennett told The Athletic: “He is unrecognisable. He gets on with his work, is willing to listen and learn, but he has also got an opinion.

“When I went back on loan to Brighton, he was only a young boy then and sometimes it’s difficult for young players, especially goalkeepers, to kind of impose themselves on senior players in front of them.

“Going out on loan has really helped him; not just as a goalkeeper but in life. He is a long way from home and playing regularly in the first team is important for a lot of young players, particularly a goalkeeper at such a young age.

“He’s been really good for us. Like any player, you have dips but across the season, Christian has been a consistent performer for us.”