Tony Mowbray has confirmed that Lewis Holtby’s time at Rovers has come to an end.

Holtby is out of contract this summer and Mowbray says his exclusion from the matchday squad at Rotherham United was owing to his future lying away from Ewood Park.

The midfielder signed as a free agent in September 2019 will now search for a new club with Rovers not offering to extend his stay.

Holtby wasn’t involved in the 1-1 draw at Rotherham United having also been left out of the previous away trip at Sheffield Wednesday, despite Rovers only naming eight substitutes.

“Lewis is a guy who looks after his body and works extraordinarily hard at the extra stuff he does and after conversations I think it’s right for himself and for the club that he doesn’t put himself in a position where he could pick up an injury ahead of a summer where he’s got to go and find himself a new club,” Mowbray said.

“It’s a decision that’s been made a long time ago, Lewis is aware of the decision. He’s an out of contract footballer basically.”

Holtby, aged 30, has played 29 times this season, but his time at the club has been disrupted through injury.

He played 27 times in his debut campaign, scoring three times, the highlight being his double in a 5-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.