I know we are overloaded with CM's. But still think we will miss Harrison Reed next season. Would have quite happily seen Evans and Smallwood depart if it meant bringing in Reed.

Rovers trying to find a buyer for Richie Smallwood. Also trying to find clubs willing to loan Joe Nuttall (most likely destination Accy), Sam Hart, Andy Fisher, Daniel Butterworth, Joe Grayson, John Buckley and Brad Lyons. Lad from Man City should be coming in, with another CB coming in before the window closes. Think that might be the end of our summer transfer business unless we lose one of our 1st teamers.

Wouldn't surprise me if he had a release clause if the opportunity presented itself if a club came in with a sufficient offer from a higher division. His contract with Portsmouth expires June next year. Agree with you though of course on the GK and CB positions being priority. Still need more work beyond sorting out those positions in my opinion. Left-back for instance still bothers me.

When you cut out the forwards re-appropriated for wing duty, what are you left with? - Harry Chapman - Elliott Bennett - Stewart Downing Remember what the owners and manager have said countless times. Bring in young players and work them up. Chapman has the capability to be a good winger. But it comes down to his fitness. That leaves Bennett (31 in December) and Downing (34 last month). Even when you include re-appropriated forwards converted into wingers, Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton. They are very reliant on cutting in-field/into the box and leave us very one dimensional on the wings. People joke about Rovers having too many midfielders. I agree to an extent. But I would say we have too much of a particular kind of midfielders, but seriously lack in other areas. Namely wingers who can run down the touchline and create something. Or keep the ball in the corner for time. We also lack wingers who have pace, which is why I suggested playing Bell out wide midfield on occasion last season. A wing option who has pace and trickery wouldn't hurt. Granted nor would moving on Smallwood and Evans.

Just by the way. One of the keepers we were considering to replace Raya (who I'm certain the club knew was always going to be leaving from the moment Brentford were linked with him) was Barnsley (at the time) goalkeeper Adam Davies. But Stoke did some pretty good double-business early on for him and Liam Lindsay. Another player Rovers have been keeping an eye on is Portsmouth winger Ronan Curtis. But I think the club are going to leave that one until later if they do decide to go for him.

All comes down to wages available surely. Adrian might be the best player available. But he will likely be looking for Premier League wages. Probably well over £50,000 a week. Personally think we should sign Scott Carson or John Ruddy, and also sign Jordan Archer as the younger keeper. Let the more senior keeper duke it out with the younger one for the Number 1# jersey and their combined wages will likely be less than Adrian. If we can secure two quality keepers like that we can move on Jayson Leutwiler and keep Andy Fisher as our Number #3 keeper. We look tidier in the goalkeeping department.

Interesting comments from Mowbray about Chapman. He basically heavily hinted that Boro really haven't been taking care of the lad. They had been willing to put him on the bench and use him as an impact sub. But upon the Sports Science evaluating Chapman for his medical, they suggested he was at least 3-6 weeks of intensive gym workout away from being fit to play. Chapman himself said during his interview that a lack of game time at any level was behind his repeat injuries.

13 assists and 2 goals this season. (League One) By comparison. Our most accomplished goalscorer and assist gainer is Bradley Dack with 13 goals and 7 assists. (Championship) Question is. If he came up to the Championship would he do a Bradley Dack or a Erhun Oztumer (1 goal and 0 assists in the Championship)? John Marquis is another League One player who has been consistently good who could make the step up.

Scott Dann might be joining Fulham from Crystal Palace. Wonder if we have a sell-on clause?

Mowbray has confirmed permission given by Boro to talk to Chapman. This is from someone at BBC Sport.

The initial fee was £6 million, with additional add-ons later. Brereton meanwhile cannot get off the bench ahead of Joe Nuttall. Personally think we need to pull out the stops and sign Reed before someone else does this summer. Harry Chapman isn't going to cost much in wages (injury history will push them to a reasonable level) and with his contract coming to an end this summer, I can only see his signing being a minimal fee in cost. Think we would be wise to loan out Brereton for the rest of the season. If we can bring in Sam Gallagher, and tell him we would sign him in the summer if he impresses it would make all kinds of sense. I am still of the belief we needed a wide player even with Conway. Bring in Chapman to complement Conway would give us injury covering options. Gallagher to replace Brereton. Reed is a no-brainer.

We must sign Reed on a long-term deal if possible. Also Rodwell. Quietly efficient and Lenihan seems far more steady alongside him than Mulgrew.

I'm really unconvinced by the depth we have at CB. Derrick Williams has had some injury issues this season and has been bog-standard at best. Jack Rodwell has a injury history as long as his wage-bill at Sunderland. Charlie Mulgrew has a well documented injury history. Darragh Lenihan has had injury issues dating back to a serious injury at the academy. Lewis Travis is largely untested at CB in the Championship. I still think it was a mistake to let Downing go. I still think we need another CB. I also think we need width. It's all well and good to play forwards out wide, but it's also good to have out and out wingers who can push players forward. For me, I still think we need to replace Palmer. Conway is decent, but it can't hurt to have options. I also worry that if we lose Graham, we lose our only proven consistent goalscorer to play up top. When you take Graham out, you are left with 3 goals from Armstrong and 2 from Nuttall.

I think some would say he has been given a chance. Would you risk exiting this transfer window without another Striker signing? What would happen if Graham was ruled out for the rest of the season.

Okay then. Let me put it another way. Who would folk rather have long-term? Brereton or Reed?

Trying to get my head around one thing. Why did Tony Mowbray sign Ben Brereton for a reported £7 million fee, when that fee would have likely been enough to sign Harrison Reed and Sam Gallagher on Long-term deals?

According to this Brad Lyons has signed.

Just been chatting so someone about Mitchel Candlin. He was astonished that we had managed to sign him. Apparently Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham were all scouting him. Multiple clubs were going to see how he did over the season. We have got him for around the £50,000 mark, but it is HEAVY on incentives and could go up massively if he does well. Good age... Good height... Has also played CAM earlier in his career...

Well that was sneaky!

I have a very uncomfortable feeling about this Dack business. I think WBA's bids are now entering the sphere of going over the head of the manager and the decision being made in India. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if we started hearing names being dropped over the next hour over possible replacements. Rovers should put down a firm "not for sale" message and warn WBA that any further attention will be reported to the Football League.

Have a weird feeling we are going to have a repeat of transfer deadline day. Hope for two to come in. Time runs out and we hope for one quick one before the end and then end up with nobody. The noises coming out of Ewood at the moment don't seem very encouraging. Last thing I heard was that Nuttall might have to wait until January for a loan because of the Samuel injury, which would tend to indicate we won't be bringing in a forward today.

He was also largely responsible for the goal we conceded.

Conor Washington released by QPR. Could be an excellent standin for Samuel on a short-term deal until January.

Mulgrew's goals covers for some occasional lapses at CB. Lenihan for me is an excellent CB and still has some growing to do. Rodwell has apparently been signed as an optional defender. I'm not so sure. Williams has played some times at RB in Bristol City. Agree with you on the winger point, but not sure Mowbray will. I really hope we aren't waiting to see if Frank Fielding is fit to come.