Contract talks are at the forefront of Tony Mowbray’s mind as he hopes to reward his star performers and tie down the club’s main assets.

Mowbray has held talks with owners Venky’s about the contractual situation of some of his players, including Ryan Nyambe who is in to the final year of his deal.

Rovers have begun negotiations with the representatives of Bradley Dack about fresh terms, though the club do have a 12-month option in his current deal which runs to 2021.

That comes as Mowbray is targeting new recruits for his side, with one permanent goalkeeper through the door and the potential of a new central defender to follow, as well as a left back.

Those will stretch the club’s finances, but Mowbray is keen to avoid players running down their deals.

“We should protect the assets that we’ve got because I feel we do have assets at this football club,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“The players that are producing the goods and helping us move in the right direction, we have to be careful that their contracts don’t run down too low.

“They are right at the forefront of my mind and have always been, I’ve had these discussions with the owners.

“Yet in a time where we’re trying to build a team it’s very difficult to marry both together but we’re mindful of that of course.”

Nyambe signed a two-year extension through to 2021 last year but has since kicked on to make the right back spot his own.

The Namibian international, who came through the club’s Academy, has established himself in the side and has made 130 appearances for the club since his debut in 2015.

While Darragh Lenihan and Lewis Travis, two other key performers are tied down to extended contracts, Rovers will be wary of the situation regarding players such as Adam Armstrong who has caught the eye of Premier League clubs after 17 goals last season.

The 23-year-old still has two years left to run on the four-year deal he signed when joining from Newcastle United in 2018, but Mowbray will want to reward his players for their performances.

Rovers made four permanent signings last summer, supplemented by three loan deals. Of those permanent deals, Stewart Downing’s time at the club has come to an end, while Bradley Johnson and Lewis Holtby were signed on free transfers.

This summer, Rovers have already brought in Thomas Kaminski on a permanent deal, and that is Mowbray’s preference for a central defender.

While finances are tight, the manager is hoping to secure players on permanent deals in his bid to push the club forward. 

“That’s the plan. There’s lots of loans out there, we have to be careful that we don’t build our foundations on loans,” he added.

“We have to try and recruit our own players. If you haven’t got £5m then you shouldn’t be looking at £5m players.

“If they’re free transfers but you can bring them in on a two or three-year deal then they’re your footballer and you can build from your own roots.

“If they’re on loan then there’s every chance they’re going back and you find yourself in the same position a year down the line and you might have spent X on a salary but you haven’t got an asset.

“Ideally for the club we will sign our own players, create assets for the club because they perform to a level where they become coveted by other teams and help our team be successful. That’s the plan.

“We also understand in the financial world we’re in that loans are sometimes the best option.

“The longer term picture is to have your own players and mould them.”