Rovers will continue to focus their efforts on using their one remaining loan spot on adding in defence – despite links to midfielder Stefan Johansen.

Jarrad Branthwaite arrived on loan from Everton to add to the defensive ranks last week, making his debut in the draw with Stoke City, and will spend the rest of the season at Ewood Park.

With Derrick Williams and Scott Wharton set to miss the remainder and Daniel Ayala out for the at least another two weeks, Rovers’ options still look short of senior options at the back.

Tyler Magloire has trained with the first-team upon his return from a loan spell at Hartlepool United, and though they want to extend that, he is staying at Rovers for now.

The 22-year-old, who has played twice for the Rovers first-team, played times for Pools in the National League, but wasn’t on the bench for the game against Stoke City as Rovers went without a recognised defender among their nine substitutes with Amari’i Bell out injured.

And Tony Mowbray would ideally like to add another defender to his options for the remaining 22 matches this season.

Rovers currently have four loan players on their books in Branthwaite (Everton), Barry Douglas (Leeds United), Tom Trybull (Norwich City) and Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), with the quartet all to see out the season at Ewood Park.

Clubs can sign as many loan players as they wish, but only five can feature in a matchday squad, leaving Rovers with one option available.

They were this week linked with a move for Fulham midfielder Stefan Johansen who is available on loan this month having not been registered as part of their 25-man Premier League.

The 30-year-old has played just twice for Fulham this season, both in the Carabao Cup, with more appearances for Norway to his name.

However, he was a regular in the side that won promotion to the Premier League last season, having gone close to helping West Brom to the top flight during a loan spell in 2018/19.

Johansen was part of the Fulham squad that went up via the play-offs in 2017/18 so has excellent pedigree at this level, but QPR seems the most likely move for him this month.

That’s owing to Rovers’ options in midfield, and also their preference to strengthen in defence.

Lewis Travis and Bradley Johnson started in central midfield against Stoke, with Joe Rothwell used out wide, and with Lewis Holtby back fit again, that saw him as one of five central midfielders on the bench along with Stewart Downing, Trybull, Jacob Davenport and goalscorer John Buckley.

Captain Elliott Bennett, another option in midfield, is also fit, while Rovers also have Bradley Dack back available after long-term injury and needing to fit into their options in the middle of the pitch.

That leaves Mowbray with a wealth of options, with no plans to add another in this window.

Bennett has been out for three months with an ankle problem, but has returned to full training this week and will bring some versatility to the ranks.

He could well get a run-out for the Under-23s in their game at Manchester City on Monday when they return to Premier League 2 action. The game is set to come too soon for Joe Rankin-Costello after two months out with a hamstring strain, but he isn’t far off a return.