Tony Mowbray says the prospect of Premier League clubs recalling loanees to stockpile players amid the raft of postponements due to coronavirus is a concern.

Rovers’ game with Birmingham City this afternoon is set to go ahead but half of the Championship’s fixtures have been postponed, while the Premier League have also sanctioned clubs’ request for games to be called off.

Brighton boss Graham Potter has raised the prospect of recalling loan players in January to boost numbers, which leaves Rovers vulnerable with Seagulls duo Jan Paul van Hecke and Reda Khadra key members of the side.

While the Premier League say they are taking requests on a case by case basis, the EFL has clarified that clubs will be expected to fulfil a fixture if 14 of their named 25-man squad, including a goalkeeper, are available.

“It’s a concern. I saw the quotes and it makes sense to me,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“If they are going to be a few players down potentially and made to play with seven or eight players unavailable why wouldn’t you bring all your players back, particularly if the team who is loaning them isn’t playing their whole salary and utilise them if they’re needed.

“Let’s wait and see if that happens.”

Khadra has scored twice in his 12 appearances while van Hecke opened his account in his eighth outing in the win at Bournemouth last weekend.

Rovers have four loanees in all, with Leighton Clarkson having struggled for game-time of late after signing a season-long deal from Liverpool, while injury looks set to cut short Ian Poveda’s time at the club from Leeds United.

The club hope to add to their squad in January but the transfer market is expected to be quiet in January with teams counting the cost of being without crowds for the entirety of last season.

The loan market also looks set to be slow, with clubs cautious over releasing players, with Rovers likely to consider carefully whether to sanction moves for the likes of Hayden Carter and Dan Butterworth next month.

Premier League and Championship clubs have to name 25-man squads, with anyone not registered and without a senior appearance for the club that season unable to play.

And Mowbray says that raises the prospect of players remaining with Rovers for the remainder of the season.

He said: “You have 25-man squads and it’s okay bringing them back as long as it doesn’t go over 25 because what’s the point in bringing them back if they aren’t registered to play?

“We’re very aware of the loan situation.

“I’ve repeatedly said that this club needs to grow and you do that better by signing your own players than loaning them.

“If you get to a situation down the loan when you don’t take loans and are progressing your own young players through the system that would be better for everyone.

“But Harvey Elliott, Tosin Adarabioyo, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, these are cases of players where it is development games for them they can really help our team as well.

“We’ll pick and choose the ones we want and hopefully get more than right than wrong. Let’s see what this window brings.”

Harry Chapman, who made three substitute appearances for Rovers earlier in the season, sees his loan spell at Burton Albion expire at the start of next month.

Rovers will have a call to make over the 24-year-old who has made 12 appearances for the Brewers, but only seven league starts and he is yet to score.