Deyovaisio Zeefuik hasn’t yet been confirmed as a Rovers player, but his impending arrival has led many supporters to question what impact that will have for Ryan Nyambe.

Yet the club’s position seems a simple one.

As things stand, the representatives of the Namibia international have given the club no encouragement that he will be signing a contract extension.

That means currently come July 1, Nyambe won’t be a Rovers player. Yet there are equally no suggestions he won't be come February 1 when the transfer window closes.

Tony Mowbray summed the situation up well, describing it as ‘a shame’, and it really is that the club and the player find themselves in this position.

Nyambe is loved by everyone, with a decade of service and nearly 200 appearances to his name. He’s been a mainstay in the side since Mowbray came to the club and feel things would bring a bigger cheer than the day the 24-year-old scores his first goal.

A deal through to 2025 is on the table for Nyambe, the offer of a security as well as a wage packet Rovers feel is more than fair.

Yet it remains unsigned and therefore Rovers must begin to play to plan for the long-term.

A only a two-year contract, with a one-year option, in 2019 appears a little short-sighted looking back, but in the short-term there is a need to add competition for Nyambe.

Tyrhys Dolan had to fill in at right wing-back for the FA Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic, with Rovers determined to keep John Buckley in his favoured attacking role, while Joe Rankin-Costello is still getting himself up to speed after injury.

Patience must be adopted with Rankin-Costello who like Nyambe has had hamstring concerns throughout his time in the first-team.

It was a soreness that Nyambe miss the cup defeat though all indications are that he will be back for the weekend trip to Cardiff City by which point Zeefuik’s signing is set to have gone through.

Should Nyambe start at Cardiff then it would be an 11th successive league start.

Nyambe failed to make more than 10 consecutive starts last season and in 2018/19 while his best in 2019/20 was 11.

Only in the League One promotion season has he managed to keep his place in the team for any longer than 11 successive league games.

With the demands on a wing-back even more than a normal full back Rovers must ensure they have adequate cover, as they have found on the opposite side of the pitch with Harry Pickering having suffered a hamstring strain that will keep him out for at least a month.

There are still 21 games to play and the right side of their defence is a place Rovers haven’t had enough cover in, with Tyler Magloire and Hayden Carter having previously been forced to fill in during Nyambe’s previous absences.

As well as the physical demands, there is a greater need to provide as an attacking force when operating as a wing-back. Nyambe has managed one assist this season, but only eight across his 190 outings.

A brilliant one-v-one defender, you can count on one hand the number of players to trouble Nyambe for a consistent period, but he did lose his place last season to Rankin-Costello with Mowbray wanting more productivity on the ball.

Zeefuik appears to possess strong defensive attributes too, and also has 11 assists across his career, but none since signing for Hertha Berlin.

The signing of any player will undoubtedly raise questions over the current incumbent of that player, that is natural.

Amari’i Bell and Tayo Edun were signed as competition for Derrick Williams and Harry Pickering in the left full back area, but right back is a position that has gone without strengthening during Mowbray’s time in charge.

That is largely down to the performances of Nyambe, with Paul Caddis the only player to be signed in that position, but we have seen the need for more than one player per position.

Where Rovers have previously struggled in the full back areas, the impending arrival of Zeefuik and those of Pickering and Edun last year suggest they are looking as strong as they have for some time.