Gregg Broughton gave an interesting insight into Rovers’ recruitment plans when discussing the loan signing of Tyler Morton and permanent addition of Sammie Szmodics.

For the third successive year Rovers have taken a Reds youngster on loan, with Morton following on from Harvey Elliott and Leighton Clarkson before him.

He became the second signing the Broughton-Tomasson era, with Callum Brittain already through the door, with Sammie Sczodics following not far behind as he joined from Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee.

With Morton, Broughton first outlined how Rovers had to wait for the 19-year-old, a deal that had been in the works ahead of the season but then held up by his involvement in pre-season.

More telling was Broughton stating: “Strategically we knew we needed to add another central midfielder to the squad for this season and a loan suited us ideally to ensure we didn’t block the medium-term pathways of some of our own young midfielders who have done so well for us over the last eight weeks.”

Those midfielders referred to are Jake Garrett and Adam Wharton.

The comment would suggest that Rovers’ recruitment in that area is now complete.

As reported earlier in the window, it was expected that the Academy pair would fill the holes left by the departures of Bradley Johnson and Jacob Davenport. The pair managed only 27 appearances between them last season.

Johnson himself outlined that his influence off the field was just as important as his role on it, while Davenport failed to feature in any of the games in the second half of the season.

That was despite Rovers having also allowed Clarkson to return to Liverpool in January, cutting short his season-long loan.

So while Garrett and Wharton are untried at senior level, they were given an extended chance to impress in pre-season. Tomasson revealed after the QPR win that he had been close to handing Wharton his debut off the bench on Saturday.

Rovers’ recruitment appears focused on filling the holes left by the five key players who departed last season.

Brittain will take over from Ryan Nyambe on the right side of the Rovers defence, and while it’s John Buckley expected to fill the deeper role that Joe Rothwell operated in, Morton will be the extra midfield option.

Tomasson believes he can provide flexibility in a number of midfield roles, and given Rovers’ expected high-intensity football and the number of bookings likely collected by both Travis and Buckley, opportunities are set to come his way.

With the deal for Szmodics also completed, his flexibility across the attacking positions is likely to replicate that of former loanee Reda Khadra.

Of him, Broughon said: "We identified that we needed to add both athleticism and another goal threat to the squad, and Sammie gives us both of these qualities."

That would then leave the central defensive gaps of Darragh Lenihan and Jan Paul van Hecke needing to be filled, something that has been on the agenda all summer, but more pressing now after the injury of Hayden Carter.

Sam Barnes provided the defensive on the bench on Saturday, his first involvement in a matchday squad, while Ash Phillips was 19th man.

While Daniel Ayala’s qualities are unquestioned, his fitness record has let him down, and will be factored into Rovers’ recruitment planning.

The big question then centres around the future of Ben Brereton.

Tomasson has no concerns over utilising the 23-year-old, despite the ongoing speculation, while he remains a Rovers player.

Rovers’ hand isn’t a strong one when it comes to Brereton given his contractual situation, and their resolve to hold out for anything close to £20m will be tested.

Brereton was unique in that he scored the goals of a No.9 while playing from out wide.

Rovers’ planning around Brereton is unclear at this stage, as to whether they go for an out-and-out No.9, or wide option.

Having tried, but failed, to move for an Adam Armstrong replacement last summer, Rovers had a ready-made one in Brereton who stepped in to fill that goalscoring hole.

To not move for a Brereton replacement, should he leave, would be a huge risk.

Broughton outlined at the start of the window that Rovers’ business wasn’t dependant on the future of Brereton and they could plough on regardless.

That has rang true, with Szmodics following Brittain through the arrivals door, with no indication that it is ‘the Brereton money’ being spent.

While central defence is a big hole left to fill, how things play out with Brereton means the biggest aspect of Rovers’ transfer window could still be yet to come.