Rovers have reached a stand-off in negotiations with some of their star players which could lead to departures in January.

Chief executive Steve Waggott will hold further talks with the agents of Rovers’ out of contract players in a bid to strike a breakthrough and secure their long-term futures, but has warned offers to some players have reached a level the club are unwilling to exceed, describing the offers as ‘very fair’.

Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Joe Rothwell and Ben Brereton are the highest-profile players to see their deals expire at the end of the season, and the ones being prioritised by the club, whose manager Tony Mowbray is also out of contract in June 2022.

“We’ve offered all of those players what we believe to be a good uplift, a really good offer from the club in a difficult time to secure their contract,” CEO Waggott said. “What we can’t afford to do is to hold the club to ransom. We have presented a very fair and reasonable offer.

“I have meetings with their agents again this week to have another run at them all, but at the moment the agents are holding firm.”

Waggott says the club have outlined their desire to keep hold of the players, but admits the Covid pandemic stalled discussions which have been going on for some time.

It leaves Rovers facing the prospects of losing some of their senior players on free transfers, with the club having lost Adam Armstrong for a reduced fee in the summer having moved into the final year of his deal.

“We would love to have them, Tony would love to have them, and we are making it absolutely clear to the agents we want them to stay, but there’s only a certain level we can go up to,” Waggott outlined.

Asked if that level had been reached, he added: “I think so, we’ve definitely reached it on two of the players and I think there’s a little bit of negotiation on a couple of players, but not much.

“We believe that the offers in the situation we have just come through, no supporters in the ground for 15 months and now we’re just coming through survival mode and looking to get some stability back into the club, we believe they are fair offers.”

The January transfer window would offer Rovers a final chance to secure a fee for their out of contract players aged above 24, with compensation fees applicable to anyone under that age bracket.

Waggott says dialogue will continue in the lead up to the window in a bid to find a resolution, and says he does expect positive movement with some players.

He added: “I’d be disappointed if we lose them all, and that’s why we’re working day by day with the agents to get to a position where we’re offering stability and security at a club they love playing for, that’s what they tell me, compared to going out on the open market where the agent may believe they can get a better deal, or at a better club.

“I’m not sure what better club there is in the Championship than Blackburn Rovers, but some people believe that they could get that, or go into the Premier League.

“I’ve not had any offers to suggest that would be the case because I’d tell them automatically if I did, but that hasn’t happened.

“We’re at a little bit of a Mexican stand-off but I’m pushing hard our end to see if we can get it resolved.”

Plans are being put in place for the Rovers hierarchy to visit India to speak with owners Venky’s when the topic of Mowbray’s contract will be on the agenda.

“Slightly different, because the manager is what I can the head of the waterfall and obviously none of us have been able to get across to India to speak to the owners but that’s coming quickly,” Waggott said.

“I’m pushing to get us across there and then then there’s a discussion point to be had when me and Tony go across to see Mr and Madame Desai and Bala and talk about the club in general and the future of Tony as well.”