IT did not take long for the vultures to circle apparently.

Within hours of the confirmation of Rovers’ transfer embargo, a report appeared on a national newspaper’s website suggesting QPR were interested in Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede.

Ben Marshall, too, is attracting admiring glances from top-flight clubs, according to the report.

Nothing new, of course, for Rovers fans. They are now well used to seeing their star names, Rhodes in particular, linked with moves away.

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But, as the report alluded to, Rovers now have to continue to cuts costs considerably if they are to have the embargo lifted.

Now in an ideal world Leon Best, Paul Robinson, Bradley Orr and Jordan Slew – players who have no future at Ewood Park – would be taken off their hands next month. That would save the club the best part of a staggering £100,000 per week.

But, let’s face it, that’s never going to happen.

What could happen, though, is that Rovers receive offers for Rhodes, Gestede, Marshall et al. And, if they do, they must turn them down.

Yes cashing in on their prized efforts may well go a long way to getting Rovers closer to the maximum £6m loss permitted for this season under Financial Fair Play rules. But if the trio were to go, you may as well raise the white flag on the club’s promotion dream.

Gary Bowyer has proven to be a shrewd operator in the transfer market. For instance how much is Gestede, a £200,000 capture from Cardiff City a year ago, worth now? But the restraints of the embargo means Bowyer would not be able to spend the proceeds of any sales on new players other than wages for loan signings and free transfers.

That’s why Rovers have to keep hold of the players they want to keep in January, attempt to pick up one or two loans if possible, and then reassess in the summer.

If the club is back in the Premier League then the riches of promotion will certainly soften the blow of any fine incurred for going up and posting a loss bigger than £6m. However if the club was to remain in the Championship for a fourth successive season then players we don’t want to leave may do just that.

But embargo or no embargo, there will be always be that danger if promotion is not achieved.

Would it not be a wise, then, to hand the likes of Gestede a new contract, like Rhodes before him, as the embargo does not prevent Rovers from negotiating fresh terms with members of their squad.

But for now the concentration is on Charlton on Saturday.

Rovers were rightly praised for the character they showed throughout their recent nine-game unbeaten run. But now they are going to have to show more and then some after a week which has made a dent in the hard-earned optimism around the club.