TONY Mowbray is looking to conclude his transfer business as soon as possible with Rovers closing in on their next signing.

Rovers are close to adding a midfielder to their squad, on loan, with the deal likely to happen before tomorrow’s home game with Doncaster Rovers.

Mowbray is looking to bolster his ranks before the window closes on August 31, but is hoping that his squad will be in place before the deadline.

“I would like to think that we have two or three additions coming in the not too distant future to bolster the squad.

“As I’ve said before I think the numbers are a bit light but yet in certain areas of the pitch we have plenty of choice and other areas we are down to the bare bones.

“I’m trying to add the right ones and when that’s done we’ll shut the door and get on with the group.

“Things aren’t quite as quick as you would like sometimes, but there is progression.

“The other deals they’re ticking along, moving along, we’re having discussions about what we can and can’t do, that’s how it goes.

“Like any sort of negotiation we’re moving them along and hopefully we will come to a positive end.”

The transfer window closes on August 31, by which time Rovers will have played seven games in three different competitions.

Mowbray, like many managers, would like to see the window close before the season starts, admitting early season games can become almost ‘inconsequential’ because of the transfer ‘circus’.

“I think the window should have shut before the season kicked off,” he added.

“It is a bit of a circus for two or three weeks and it’s almost as if the games are inconsequential.

“Every day it’s driven by who’s moving where, every press conference you’re asked about it, so the best thing would be to have your team in place before the season kicks off.

“Then everyone knows and we just get on with it.

“Here we are still a bit short of players but then if we had been forced 10 days ago to have finished all our signings then I’m sure we would have done it, as everyone else would have done.”

Mowbray has made eight signings so far this summer, and is still looking to add more competition in the middle of the park, as well as in attack, and defence, before his squad is complete.

And when it is, Mowbray admits a fully-fit squad will provide him with a number of selection headaches.

He added: “I try and be honest with players when I talk to them – no-one is guaranteed a position, they have to work hard and earn it.

“When they get an opportunity they have to try and stay in the team and that’s the way it is really.

“I think as a manager you want the players to understand that you’re on their side, you want them all to play but I can’t pick 20 players, I can only pick 11.

“If you’re not in the 11 then it’s generally not my fault, maybe you didn’t perform well enough in the last one, you haven’t worked hard enough, for whatever reason, or I think the game might dictate we need this type of player or another.

“They have to understand the logic and be mentally tough to sit on the bench and when they have to play they have to perform.”