ROVERS have cash bids on the table for two players with Tony Mowbray looking to do some early business as the January transfer window opens today.

And Mowbray insists Rovers won’t be forced in to selling any of their stars names this month believing now is an opportunity to strengthen.

The Ewood chief has spoken with owners Venky’s and says their stance on ensuring the club’s senior figures don’t leave the club hasn’t changed ahead of this month’s window.

Mowbray has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his squad and revealed that Rovers have lodged two bids for players.

The bids are for players whose contracts expire in the summer with Mowbray admitting ‘their clubs have decisions to make’ on whether to cash in or risk losing them for free in six months’ time.

One player linked with a move to Ewood Park is Fleetwood Town full-back Amari’i Bell while a winger is on the priority list for Rovers before the window closes on January 31.

Mowbray is hoping deals are there to be done with Rovers going in to 2018 third in the League One table.

“Can I say I have had assurances? Let’s put it this way, I’ve met the owners a few times now and they are decent, open people,” Mowbray said.

“That’s what I’ve found with them in an open, honest relationship

“They understand that if we are to get out of this division, if we are to go further than that, then it is about bringing in more talent and not selling out best players.

“That is why after we went down last summer why Mulgrew stayed with us, why Graham stayed with us, why we went out and bought Dack and Whittingham.

“And I don’t see that changing because somebody offers money for a certain player.

“Over the next few weeks we will only lose people we want to lose or are happy to lose and we will strengthen our squad over the next four weeks.”

The Rovers squad has started to look stretched of late with a replacement for injured Middlesbrough loanee Harry Chapman among the top priority.

His absence has been a big blow for Rovers who don’t currently have a like-for-like replacement at the club, with the 20-year-old likely to be sidelined for several more months after surgery on a hamstring injury sustained in the 0-0 draw at Wigan Athletic on October 28.

Craig Conway and Joe Nuttall missed the Scunthorpe United draw through the illness bug which has blighted the Rovers camp of late.

That left Mowbray short of attacking options as his side went in search of a winner against Scunthorpe United after Marcus Antonsson was forced off with an ankle injury.

Rovers spent over £1.3million in the summer, with Bradley Dack a £750,000 addition from Gillingham while Dominic Samuel set them back £500,000 when he joined from Reading.

But he didn’t spend the amount of money made available to him by owners Venky’s with funds available in January, with permanent additions the target.

Mowbray has moved to bolster the club’s recruitment department but admits Rovers are unlikely to bear the fruits of that until future windows.