Tony Mowbray says Rovers are ‘creeping closer’ to adding to their squad - but the boss revealed he is frustrated with the speculation surrounding the club’s targets.

News of Rovers’ bid for Nottingham Forest attacker Ben Brereton became public on transfer deadline day, with Mowbray maintaining interest in the 19-year-old with the possibility of an initial loan move, including a permanent clause, being worked on.

Reports have suggested Rovers have bid as high as £8m for the teenager, having seen an offer in excess of £5m rejected last week.

And the boss has suggested Rovers will move on to other targets should no further progress be made on the three deals he revealed were being worked on earlier in the week.

When asked for an update on the possibility of incomings, Mowbray said: “Let’s just say creeping closer, I think.

“As I’ve said for a week or two now some are incredibly frustrating.

“I won’t go in to it. Some are creeping closer, others, who knows?

“Some people who you think might sell keep asking for a bit more and a bit more and at some point it has to stop. So we are looking at other targets now and have potentially changed our sights a little bit.

“I hope for the fans, and the lads who work so hard every day here, that we can bring some additions in to help them, on days like that (against Hull) to come off the bench and finish games off and replace blistering pace with blistering pace, or a tenacious midfielder with a tenacious midfielder, they just a need a bit of help.

“That’s what we’re trying to do in all areas to strengthen.”

Mowbray is disappointed with news of his targets getting out, but understands it could be market forces at work.

He added: “Apparently it’s happened at this club a lot over the years.

“I would have to say that it’s very frustrating for me, it shouldn’t be happening.

“There are quite a close number of people at the football club who know our targets but it seems to be public news.

“It doesn’t help the cause is what I would say.

“It might be coming from the other side of course, and they are trying to create interest in a player that’s available and seeing if there’s any other clubs out there that might up the ante.

“I can’t stop that, it’s what happens, but for me it has been a frustrating couple of weeks.”

But that doesn’t dampen Mowbray’s enthusiasm to add to his current group in a bid to make Rovers even more competitive in the Championship.

“For the fans, I don’t read social media, not that I’m not interested, but I’m sure they will be frustrated. We’re only trying to strengthen to help the team and the football club grow, become a better team and look at the players and think ‘wow’,” the boss said after the win at Hull City.

“More Bradley Dacks is what I’m trying to say. They become the currency of your football club and the owners understand that.

“You add players of the right quality and they only accrue value, and at the right age.

“You sign them for X and you sell them for X times 10 potentially somewhere down the line and then you invest that and get a few more.

“Before you know it you have a team full of good players and then the expectation is to get out of this division.

“At the moment we’re trying to build a club and compete in the league and every team we play against.”