Tosin Adarabioyo says his focus has always been on seeing out his season-long loan spell at Ewood Park.

Parent club Manchester City had the option this month of recalling the 22-year-old but he will instead stay at Rovers for the entirety of the campaign.

And while Adarabioyo holds a long-term ambition of becoming a regular for City in the Premier League, he believes he is benefitting from his time at Rovers.

He has been assigned a permanent loan manager by City, in Joleon Lescott, and along with the staff at Rovers, Adarabioyo feels his game has improved.

Having spent last season at West Bromwich Albion, albeit at right back, Adarabioyo got a feel for the league, and now wants to help Rovers kick on towards the top six.

“My head has always been focused on here, said Adarabioyo, who has played 19 times this season. 

“I’ve only just been thinking about this club and getting the right results.”

 

 

The negotiations to bring in Adarabioyo were protracted, going on for several weeks before he arrived on the eve of the season.

Niggling injuries meant it wasn’t until after the October international break he got an extended run in the side, but another injury over the festive period apart, he’s been a regular in the heart of the defence.

His ability to play out from the back, demonstrated by Rovers’ opening goal in the win at Sheffield Wednesday, was key to Tony Mowbray wanting to sign him.

The manager believes his partnership with Darragh Lenihan is enough to see Rovers in to the top six and improve on last season’s defensive record that saw them concede 69 times.

Still seeing room for improvement, Adarabioyo said: “I think a lot of the defensive side, working on clean sheets, stop the silly goals and making fewer mistakes that could lead to them having a chance.

“Last season I played a lot at right back whereas this year I’m playing in my favoured position.

“I feel like I know the league well now.”

Lescott is a regular at the club’s Brockhall training base, speaking with Mowbray and Adarabioyo, and the defender admits that level of knowledge can only benefit him.

“There’s a loan manager that comes and watches the games and they send a few scouts as well so they know exactly how I’m doing,” he explained.

“Joleon, we review all the games, he tells me things I’m doing well and things I need to do better at.

“He’s a good person to have around.”

Rovers are trying to develop what Mowbray describes as ‘a learning environment’ at the club’s training base, something Adarabioyo is happy to buy in to.

With Lescott and Mowbray both centre halves in their playing days, that is a further benefit to Adarabioyo’s development.

“You should never stop developing, always need to ask questions and keep improving to make yourself a better player,” he said. “Having two previous centre halves that have played at the top level can only be a benefit.

“I review all the games with Joleon and the staff here and know the things I need to improve on.”