Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has confirmed the club have made enquiries to Premier League clubs about the prospect of taking a centre back on loan in the second-half of the season.

With Daniel Ayala, Derrick Williams and Scott Wharton all out injured - the latter pair for a number of months - midfielder Bradley Johnson was forced to partner Darragh Lenihan in the centre of Rovers' defence in their 2-0 win at Birmingham on Saturday afternoon.

Now it seems as though the Lancashire club are making moves to address their lack of options at centre back in the January transfer window.

Discussing his side's situation at centre back after that win, Mowbray was quoted by The Lancashire Telegraph as saying: “We are playing Bradley Johnson, a central midfield player, at left centre half. We will look to the market. I have spoken to the owners and I think they will help us."

Indeed, it seems Mowbray could even look to do more than one bit of business in the market, despite being aware of the difficulty of getting deals done in the current climate.

Assessing his plan for the January window, the Rovers boss continued: “They know the situation. I’ve been asking all week, speaking to Premier League clubs, and we’ll probably bring in one centre half, if not two.

“It’s not easy because clubs don’t want to let their players go because they could hit with Covid and that’s the question mark that is hanging over clubs.”

Following that win at Birmingham, Blackburn are now 11th in the Championship table, five points adrift of the play-off places at the halfway stage of their league campaign.

The Verdict

I think this is a really sensible move for Blackburn to make this month.

While Johnson's work rate cannot be argued against, it does feel as though he is lacking the defensive instinct of a natural centre back at times.

That is something that has already cost Rovers in certain games, so you feel they must bring in a centre back to ensure that it is not this that ultimately prevents them securing a top six spot come the end of the season.

Indeed, after a busy summer window, it is encouraging to see the owners are willing to back Mowbray again in the January market, something you feel they have to be given some credit for, and it will be interesting to see just who Rovers could bring in here.