Tony Mowbray said his decision to hand Leutwiler a run in the side towards the end of the season was so he could make an assessment on the Canadian before deciding whether to trigger the option in his previous deal.

Leutwiler will remain under contract at Ewood Park until 2020 after the 12 month option in the deal signed when joining from Shrewsbury in the summer of 2017.

The 30-year-old had played just one league game for Rovers before starting each of the last four Championship matches of this season. 

Despite the new deal however, Mowbray admits that Leutwiler could still leave, should he seek more regular first team football, with the club looking to bring in a new 'keeper this summer.

“We needed to see what he could do,” Mowbray explained. 

“I’m not going to stand in his way if he’s got options.

“The bottom line is that footballers want to play and if he comes to me and says he’s got an option from somewhere where he’s going to play then we won’t be hard to deal with.

“I felt the right thing to do was to take up his option and make sure we have the cover we require.

“He will compete with the goalkeepers we have and do what is right for us and for him.”

Leutwiler’s new deal was announced when the club published its retained list last week, with Paul Downing set to leave at the end of his current deal.

On his new deal, Leutwiler said: “I’m very pleased to stay at the club.

Blackburn Rovers is a massive club, so I’m very happy to get an extra year.

 “It means that I work hard and work well for the club, and I’m really pleased. I’ve really enjoyed these past two years.”