Scott Wharton is set to be recalled from his time at Lincoln City – but only to be loaned out again.

Rovers defender Wharton has made just five league starts for the Imps so far this season after agreeing a year-long deal at Sincil Bank in the summer.

Rovers allowed young defender Joe Grayson to join Grimsby on loan last week while Paul Downing is also set to leave the club this month.

But despite that Wharton will be sent out on loan to another League Two club rather than return to the Rovers squad.

Boss Tony Mowbray says conversations have been had with a club keen to offer Wharton a home for the final months of the season.

“There is an opportunity for Wharton to come back but go straight back out on loan at a club where he will play, or hopefully play, because there are no guarantees that any player will play,” the boss said.

“There are discussions between ourselves, Lincoln and another club.

“I just think Scotty Wharton needs to play football.

“There’s no point him sat on the bench or not getting game time in League Two, he needs to be playing.

“If there is an opportunity to do that then we will and we have had conversations.

“We’ll wait and see how that rolls this week.”

Wharton finished last season on loan at Lincoln, having spent the final months of the 2016/17 season with Cambridge United.

He agreed a new three-year deal at Ewood last summer but hasn’t made an appearance for Rovers since the FA Cup third round tie with Crewe in December 2017.

Grayson was the latest member of Damien Johnson’s Under-23s side to go out on loan when moving to the Mariners.

Meanwhile. Brad Lyons endured a disappointing debut for new club St Mirren at the weekend, sent off just 22 minutes in to his debut.

Midfielder Lewis Hardcastle, who spent the first half of this season with Port Vale, is another player with loan interest this month, as is utility man Charley Doyle.

Lewis Travis and Joe Nuttall have made an impressive impact on the first team in recent weeks and are set to stay at Rovers rather than leave on loan.

But Mowbray says he isn’t short of interest in a host of the club’s young players.

He added: “There are a few things bubbling for our young players and it’s good that the phone rings for them.

“Some players are doing well in the Under-23s and we like some of them. We’re producing footballers.”