Rovers boss Tony Mowbray and new signing Deyovaisio Zeefuik are both focused on the short-term despite the option to turn his loan deal from Hertha Berlin into a permanent move.

Zeefuik got his first experience of English football on Wednesday when he travelled with the squad to Hull City after training with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday.

The 23-year-old is working to build up his fitness after a month without any competitive action due to the winter break in Germany but has already impressed in training.

Tony Mowbray says the right back will provide ‘energy, enthusiasm and experience’ while Zeefuik is looking forward to the competitiveness of English football and showing what he can offer in a team that is full of confidence.

Of how he is viewing his time at the club, Zeefuik said: “We have talked about this, for now it’s for six months but it doesn’t have to be for that only.

“It’s how I perform, they have a buy option and I do well and the team goes well then they can buy me. We will talk further.”

Manager Mowbray added: “He’s here for the remainder of the season and maybe beyond, let’s not push too hard on it.

“He hasn’t kicked a ball since December 18 when they hit their winter break in Germany so he needs to be given a little bit of time to get up to speed.”

Zeefuik says Dutch compatriot Jan Paul van Hecke has always his transition into life at Rovers to be a smooth one, and having already played in Holland and Germany, he’s looking forward to life in a new country.

His move was delayed by a period of isolation, though from his room at The Avenue Hotel in Brockhall he was able to watch his new team-mates train at the Senior Training Centre.

Zeefuik is looking to get up to speed as quickly as possible, and said: “I’m excited. English football is one of the best countries to play football in so I’m excited.

“I will have to wait because I haven’t played in four weeks and didn’t train but I can’t wait to start with the team fully.

“I hope I’ll be ready soon, it depends how my body reacts after those training sessions.

“I cannot say when, but I hope it’s as soon as possible.”

Zeefuik started his carer at Ajax before moving onto FC Groningen from where he made a 4m Euros switch to Hertha in 2018.

He has been in and out of the team at the Bundesliga side, making 11 appearances, with Rovers stepping up their interest to bring him in initially on loan with the view to making that permanent.

“I was on holiday and my agent called me about it and then I looked it up, everything about the team, which players are playing there and how they are doing,” he said of Rovers’ interest.

“I thought ‘why not? It’s England, I like it’.

“It’s always better to join a winning team than a losing team.

“I was excited because everyone knows Blackburn and there’s already one Dutch guy here.”

On van Hecke he joked: “He likes to fight same as me, I like that.”