Tony Mowbray says he is surprised, but certainly not disappointed, that Premier League clubs haven’t come calling for Adam Armstrong in the January window.

Armstrong scored his 18th goal of the season as Rovers left it late to see off Luton Town at Ewood Park and move up to eighth in the table.

The 23-year-old scored 27 times in a prolific 2020, and second in the Championship’s scoring charts, there was an expectation of sides in the top flight looking to prise him away this month.

That hasn’t happened, with Rovers in discussions to extend the contract of their star man, who Mowbray is confident will play in the Premier League, hopefully with Rovers, but now might well be too soon.

“Am I surprised? Probably yes,” Mowbray said of a lack of interest ahead of tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline.

“I’m not disappointed, but am I surprised? I thought the phone might have rang.

“I’ve had a conversation with a couple of Premier League managers but they’ve not been pushy, just enquired.

“As I know these people I’ll give them an honest assessment of where I think Adam is.

“My preference is that he stops with us a little bit longer to try and help us get out of this league and plays every week.

“I would say to Adam that if he goes to the Premier League, he’s probably going to sit on the bench, get 10 minutes every three or four games, but he might quadruple his salary.

“But at 23, I think he should be playing more football, scoring goals, building his reputation and enjoying playing in a team every Saturday and banging some goals in and having that great feeling when the ball hits the back of the net.

“When his time is ready, the money won’t become an issue because that’s not an issue for the Premier League clubs.”

Armstrong had scored just twice in his 11 matches leading into the Luton game, and after passing up a good opening early on, he remained alert until the end to help secure another three points.

He has been uncharacteristically wasteful infront of goal in recent weeks, passing up two good opportunities in the win at Middlesbrough, but continues to get chances.

No player in the league can get close to his number of efforts at goal, and Mowbray feels his ability to score all kinds of goals is what sets Armstrong apart.

He added: “Adam Armstrong has amazing attributes, but he could have scored 10 more goals than he has if you want to be really greedy.

“But the fact he’s missed some chances over recent weeks tells you that he gets chances, he threatens the space in behind teams. He can shoot off both feet, can head a goal as he showed (against Luton).

“That’s what good strikers do, they live off that chance.

“Whenever I talk about him, I say that he scores off both feet because you watch him in training and it doesn’t matter which foot, left or right, he’s got no backlift, snap-shot.

“He’s a goalscorer, he’s always scored, I took him to Coventry five years and he scored 20.

“I’m not the Premier League manager who has to make that decision, they’ve got all the world to bring players in from and they have to try and get it right.

“I think it’ll happen for him but hopefully he can help us get there.”