It seems that Blackburn Rovers are not giving up hope in their attempt to secure a new contract for Darragh Lenihan just yet.
The centre back and club captain, who recently made his 250th appearance for the club, sees his current deal expire in just a few week's time.
Given discussions have been ongoing for some time, and with a number of Premier League clubs having been linked with the Irishman, it had seemed likely that he would be on the move this summer.
However, recent reports have revealed that Blackburn are still in talks over a new deal for their captain, and are hopeful of reaching a positive conclusion.
But while having Lenihan back out on the Ewood Park on a regular basis next season would undoubtedly be a major boost for the club, it does not mean that they should not be considering adding another centre back to their ranks for the 2022/23 campaign.
With Blackburn's 2021/22 Player of the Year, Jan Paul van Hecke, set to return to parent club Brighton this summer after a hugely successful campaign at Ewood Park - that could lead to first-team chances for him on the south coast - Rovers' senior central defensive options other than Lenihan - if he stays - are Scott Wharton, Hayden Carter and Daniel Ayala.
While both Wharton and Carter are undoubtedly hugely promising young options in that area, both are still at relatively early stages of their careers, at 24 and 22-years-old respectively.
Ayala meanwhile, has been hampered by injuries throughout his time at Ewood Park, managing just 31 Championship appearances in just two seasons since joining the club.
As a result, when you add in the fact that Carter's future at the club may be somewhat uncertain, with Portsmouth seemingly desperate to bring him back to Fratton Park after his excellent loan spell with the League One side in the past few months, even keeping Lenihan may not be enough to ensure Rovers have enough senior options in the centre of their defence.
That is further enhanced by the fact that Rovers have often played with three centre backs this season, and if they are to take that approach again - which could very well depend on who replaces Tony Mowbray in the Ewood Park dugout - they are obviously going to need more numbers in that area.
Indeed, it is also worth noting that Ayala himself will be entering the final year of his Blackburn contract this summer, and barring a considerable increase in his involvement in the coming campaign, it is hard to imagine the 31-year-old being offered a new deal to extend his stay at Ewood Park beyond 2022/23.
Taking that into consideration, the addition of a new centre back this summer could also be seen as a pre-emptive move ahead of a potential departure for the Spaniard 12 months down the line.
Doing so would lay the foundation for another option, already familiar with the squad and style of play, to step up the pecking and fill that void left in the centre of Blackburn's defence.
It seems therefore, that as important and welcome as a new deal for Lenihan would be at Ewood Park, that is not the only central defensive agreement that the club should be considering over the course of the next few months.