Joe Rankin-Costello has confirmed that talks to extend his stay at Ewood Park are under way.

A remarkable turnaround in fortunes saw Rankin-Costello start all but one of Rovers’ final 24 matches of a season that saw him finish as runner-up in the player of the year vote.

Rankin-Costello scored his third goal of the season as part of a fine second half comeback from Rovers as they signed off with a 4-3 win at Millwall, but not enough to secure a play-off finish.

The 23-year-old has become an increasingly integral part of the Rovers side under Jon Dahl Tomasson, despite looking like leaving on loan last summer and in January, when League One moves were lined up.

Now he is in talks over extending his contract beyond its 2024 expiry, though the club do have an option to extend by a further 12 months.

Rankin-Costello hopes to put down longer-term roots, and said: “I would like to stay at the club. Hopefully I can, I didn't want the season to end.

“I’ll have a few weeks and then go again, running, playing football whenever I can.

“It’s about staying fit and hopefully my body can be the same next season.”

Rankin-Costello said it wasn’t until Rovers took the lead for the first time, with four minutes remaining, that they knew of the scores elsewhere.

That dealt a crushing blow to their hopes of sneaking into the play-offs, eventually finishing seventh and missing out on goal difference.

“Obviously we’re gutted but we have to look into the future positively,” he said.

“We have a young squad and no-one really expected us to make the play-offs and we were so close.

“We came to do one job and win the game but we’re obviously going to look back at a few games where we felt we should have picked up points, refereeing decisions not going our way, Sammie’s shot against Luton, but it just happens and it wasn’t meant to be.”

Rovers looked overawed in the opening stages, trailing inside eight minutes, and despite Adam Wharton levelling at the midway point of the half, mistakes contributed to a quickfire double for the hosts before the break.

As Rankin-Costello explained: “It’s an intimidating place to come and I felt if we could do it here then we could do it anywhere in the Championship.

“That’s one positive thing about going a goal down and coming back from.

“Hopefully next season that can stand us in good stead for next season.

As well as Rovers racking up three second half goals, so did Sunderland, and in the process booked their spot in the play-offs, edging out Tomasson’s side on goal difference.

While the players were understandably deflated at missing out, Rankin-Costello feels they can have optimism going into next season.

He said: “Obviously we’re gutted but we have to look into the future positively.

“We have a young squad and no-one really expected us to make the play-offs and we were so close.

“The squad is young, players have broken through and I think the next few years we can be pushing for the play-offs every season.”