Jon Dahl Tomasson has had no notice of Ben Brereton’s move to Villarreal being confirmed – but doesn’t expect the club’s top scorer to be at Ewood Park next season.

Brereton has been free to hold talks with overseas clubs since the turn of the year.

La Liga side Villarreal have held a long-term interest in the 23-year-old who is available on a free transfer in June.

A long-term deal is on the table for the Chile international, with the expectation that a move will go through when his Rovers deal expires in June.

Rovers director of football Gregg Broughton said last month the club had not received any confirmation from UEFA that a pre-contract agreement had been signed.

Further reports emerged over the course of the international break that a deal had been done.

While Tomasson stopped short of confirming the move, insisting he hadn’t been made aware of anything, he says Brereton’s future is unlikely to be at Ewood Park.

“I think I’ve said it, it would be a big surprise if he is here next season,” Tomasson said.

When asked if he had been made aware of a deal with Villarreal being signed, he added: “I haven’t had anything.”

Brereton’s expected departure would bring an end to his five years at the club having arrived in the summer of 2018 from Nottingham Forest.

He has scored 44 goals in 168 appearances, including 14 this season.

The attacker looks set to miss this weekend's game at Birmingham City due to a knock sustained while on international duty with Chile.

He was replaced early in the second half of Tuesday’s friendly win over Paraguay, with Tomasson believing Brereton had Rovers on his mind when he signalled he wanted to come off.

“It was clever of him to think about Rovers when he felt something and come off,” Tomasson said.