Rovers boss Tony Mowbray hasn’t given up hope of Jack Rodwell staying at Ewood Park.

Rodwell’s one-year deal with the club ends at the end of this month and he wasn’t part of the squad which returned for pre-season training on Monday.

Rovers have been in talks with the 28-year-old, and his representatives, since the end of the season with an offer on the table for the former England international.

Rodwell featured 22 times for Rovers last season, in both central defence and central midfield.

He is currently away on a family holiday and won’t be part of the squad which flies out to Austria on Wednesday.

But Mowbray says there is still a chance he will be part of the squad next season, with the boss remaining an admirer of his qualities.

“I don’t think it’s dead. I haven’t spoken to his advisor recently but let’s wait and see on that,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I like Jack. He probably won’t have played as much as he would’ve liked and it’s whether he has an option where he might play every week rather than fighting for a place.

“He’s not stipulated that to me, I’m just speculating.

“I do like him. He’s versatile, has good quality, athletic, a good size, so he ticks a lot of boxes. But he would have to come and compete.

“Let’s wait and see.”