Gregg Broughton says Rovers’ out-of-contract Academy players have been informed of their futures at the club.

A host of contract renewals were announced during the international break, including two-year deals for Jordan Eastham and Joe Hilton.

Both were saw their previous contracts expire in the summer, and while further talks are ongoing, director of football Broughton says some have been informed their futures lie away from Ewood Park.

Rovers’ model will focus heavily on homegrown players integrating into the first-team set-up, but equally Broughton says there can be no assurances that will be the case for everyone.

And he hopes that decisions made ahead of the summer can afford those players time to secure moves elsewhere.

As well as producing players for Rovers’ first-team, the club are keen to ensure those that don’t make it at the club can still forge a career in the game.

“We have had to have some honest conversations over the last few eeks with some of the Academy players that we just don’t see going on that journey with us and I think the earlier you can give them that news, and if you deliver it honestly and with reasons behind it, then they’ll always look back positively on their experience with the club in the long run,” Broughton said.

“It can’t be the case that just because you’re in our Academy that you’re guaranteed a place in our first-team, but equally your recruitment should always start by looking inside before you look outside.”

Of the current Under-18s crop, Harley O’Grady-Macken, James Edmondson and Dom Biniek have already signed professional deals. The rest of the second-year scholars will also be hoping to see their deals upgraded to professional contracts this summer.

With Eastham and Hilton having now signed new deals, it leaves only a handful of Mike Sheron’s Under-21s squad seeing their deals expire.

Dan Pike, currently out on loan at AFC Fylde, sees his deal expire this summer, though the club do have the option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.

That is also the case with left back Lenni Cirino who has missed much of the season with a hamstring injury that required surgery.

Alex Baker has also struggled with injury this season, and is out of contract, while Zak Gilsenan, who has been in good form after a year out with an ACL injury, sees his deal up for renewal.

Sam Burns, who scored Rovers’ third goal in the weekend win at West Ham United is out of contract, as well as goalkeeper Aidan Dowling.

Jared Harlock, who has trained with the first-team all season, is also out of contract, though the club are understood to have an option to extend that by 12 months should they wish.

Ben Fyles, who travelled with the first-team squad to the FA Cup tie at Leicester City after catching the eye of Jon Dahl Tomasson, signed a one-year extension to his scholarship last summer.

He is currently recovering from surgery on his ACL after picking up the injury last month.

Another homegrown player, albeit with first-team experience, Dan Butterworth also sees his deal expire this summer.

The 23-year-old has spent this season on loan at League One side Port Vale, scoring three times in 28 appearances.