All rests on transfer deadline day after Rovers were dealt a blow in their pursuit of Ibrahima Kone yesterday.

Rovers were hoping to finalise a loan move for the 23-year-old FC Lorient striker.

A deal was close to being agreed, which would have seen Kone undergo a medical yesterday, with the expectation he would have been Rovers’ second signing of the window.

Yet the transfer frustration continued as Lorient pulled the plug on the deal and now intend to keep Kone in the squad for the second half of that season.

That comes after the striker made just a third league start of the season against Rennes, with star man Terem Moffi on the brink of joining OGC Nice.

That will likely see Mali international Kone required for first-team action much more, with 13 of his 16 appearances this season having been as a substitute.

It leaves Rovers, who are in FA Cup action at Birmingham City tonight, still searching for a striker ahead of tonight’s 11pm deadline.

Rovers have had a series of setbacks throughout the month, with interest in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Deniz Undav, who looks set to stay with the Premier League club, and Joe Gelhardt, the Leeds United youngster who joined Sunderland last month.

Speaking of Undav, Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “He is another fantastic guy and I spoke in the last period a lot of times with him.

“He told me he would like to stay with us.

“I think he stays until the end of the season.”

The club have cast their net wide in search of additions, but heading into deadline have only added Sorba Thomas, on loan from Huddersfield Town.

It was hoped that Kone would supplement Rovers’ attacking options,

 The two clubs were understood to have been close to a loan agreement until the end of the season providing Kone passed a medical which had been scheduled.

Rovers have been in the market all month for a striker after George Hirst was recalled by parent club Leicester City.

Kone made just a third league start of the season for Lorient in Friday's win over Rennes, but he has been a regular off the bench, with 16 substitute appearances.

He has scored four goals in all competitions, after five in 16 appearances in the second half of the last season after his arrival at Lorient in January 2022.

He is known to Rovers’ director of football Gregg Broughton after two spells in Norway with Sarpsborg 08 and FK Haugesund.

Rovers aren’t expecting many departures today, not least given tonight’s FA Cup fourth round replay at Birmingham City.

However, Dilan Markanday could be on the move, with his future in doubt after the arrival of Sorba Thomas last month.