Rovers captain Elliott Bennett is wanted by League One side Shrewsbury Town.

Bennett was back in the Rovers matchday squad for the first time since October in the win over Luton Town, having played 45 minutes for the Under-23s earlier in the week.

The 32-year-old has been sidelined by an ankle ligament injury and was an unused substitute against the Hatters.

Bennett has played just 12 minutes of football for Rovers this season, his one substitute appearance coming against Derby in September, however, he did start 29 Championship matches in 2019/20.

He has taken on the club captaincy since the departure of Charlie Mulgrew, first in August 2019, and is a popular figure around the club, and particularly, the dressing room.

However, he is into the final year of his deal, and Shrewsbury would appeal, with Bennett being based in Shropshire.

The League One side have picked up under Steve Cotterill to move clear of the relegation places, with Harry Chapman, on loan from Rovers, having scored twice in Saturday’s win over high-flying Peterborough United.

There is a confidence from the Shrewsbury camp of getting a deal over the line by 11pm, however, it is understood that the deal may well be revisited in the summer.

That will be down to Rovers weighing up whether to allow him to leave in this window and giving Bennett the opportunity to get regular game-time under his belt for the second half of the season, or consider his versatility and influence on the side to be too much to lose in this window.

Mowbray spoke of Bennett’s qualities off the field, and also the versatility he offers, when discussing his return to the squad this week, while he was close to being introduced in the closing stages of the Luton win as Lewis Travis tired.

Bennett marked five years at Rovers earlier this month, signed by Paul Lambert in January 2016.

He has since gone onto play 184 games, scoring nine goals, and was an influential figure in the League One promotion campaign.