Tony Mowbray has told clubs interested in Adam Armstrong to pay the asking price or risk losing out on the striker.

Armstrong missed Rovers’ opening day win over Swansea City as speculation over his future continues.

No club is yet to reach Rovers’ asking price for the 24-year-old, who netted 29 goals last season, but Crystal Palace and Southampton are among those interested in his signature.

Mowbray says negotiations are continuing between all parties, and suggested that the margins between the two aren’t too far apart, but the situation is yet to be resolved.

The manager said Armstrong won’t feature in the Carabao Cup tie against Morecambe, but insists the situation can’t and won’t be allowed to drag on.

“Clubs are interested in Adam. Those calls don’t come to my doorstep, they come to my CEO and my owners and I am kept updated,” Mowbray said after the opening day win.

“Adam knocks on my door every day and let me put on record he’s a fantastic kid, there should be no criticism of him, he trains every day and does his best.

“You’ve seen the pre-season and he’s finding it difficult, he’s out there but not been out there, but he’s trying hard and saying the right things to me and I trust him implicitly and while he’s here he will give us everything.

“He can’t go on, it won’t be allowed to go on for three or four weeks, there will be cut-off point, and then he’s going to be here and get on with it, no sulking, moaning and be the player that we know he is.

“I think he could have had a had-trick today, on those transitions, how clinical he is off both sides, he wouldn’t have had scruffy shots through to the ‘keeper he’d have smashed them into the net.

“We got the three points and let’s see what happens in the next few days. He won’t be playing against Morecambe, but if nothing resolves there’s a chance he will be coming with us to Millwall because we pay him, he’s our footballer.

“If I think it’s a game where we need to utilise his extreme speed on the break against space then we’ll play him.

“Let’s see how the week goes, I haven’t got the answers.

“I think the club are right to have a valuation and it needs meeting. These clubs that have bids in for him, for me, the Premier League, you see some of the money, we’re arguing over a few quid here and there, pay the asking price, get the job done and let’s get on with it.

“That’s how I see. He’s our player, I think he’s an amazing player, and if he had three years left no-one would be getting him for less than £25m, those sort of numbers, yet he hasn’t. But you have to pay the price.

“If you want him, get the job done, give him to the manager who has picked him and let him get on with the job, but that’s not happening at the moment and they’re trying to nick a few quid here and there.

“I think this club are right to stand their ground and get what they’re asking for.

“If clubs go passed the cut-off date, then he’ll be staying.

“I’m happy for the club to take the lead, if you put into context of the last 18 months, the owners of this club, their business is suffering.

“I wouldn’t try and dictate to the owners on this one but I think we have to get the value for the footballer and as I’ve always said, I will talk to them about investing a certain percentage of it because that’s what football is.

“You buy them, polish them up, sell them, buy two or three more, polish them up, and before you know you have a team with a lot of good assets.

“But I understand that I live in a world of results, everyone wants everything today, but Adam is hopefully part of the process where we can keep investing and before we know it we’ve got a team full of top players that everyone wants and you are at the top end of this league trying to get to the Premier League.”