Charlton Athletic are keen to take Tayo Edun on loan for the remainder of the season and are at the front of the queue for his signature.

The Rovers let back has attracted interest from League One clubs, and there is confidence from Charlton that they can get a deal done.

The 24-year-old has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Rovers side since joining from Lincoln City in the summer of 2021, making 33 appearances, including 12 this season.

His appearance off the bench in the New Year’s Day win over Cardiff City was a first in the league since September, while he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup win over Norwich City at the weekend.

Jon Dahl Tomasson ruled out the immediate departure of Edun when asked ahead of the FA Cup tie, but a loan move appears increasingly likely in the coming days.

Harry Pickering has been the first-choice option at left back this season, with Callum Brittain, Clinton Mola and Ryan Hedges all preferred to Edun on the left side of the Rovers defence.

Edun, who can also operate in midfield, will be keen to get minutes in the second half of the season and should get that opportunity at Charlton who are 12th in League One and fresh from appointing Dean Holden as their new manager this month. 

A move for Edun could impact on the future of Mola who has interest from a Championship club.

However, the interested club are understood to be pushing ahead with other targets in that position which may well be an indication that Rovers are looking to keep hold of the on-loan Stuttgart defender.

Mola, like Edun, was an unused substitute at Norwich City having missed the three games over the Christmas and New Year period due to illness.

The 21-year-old signed a season-long loan agreement at Ewood Park, which includes the option to make it permanent, but has played only six times so far.

Another option at left back is Jake Batty. The 17-year-old made his debut in the Carabao Cup first round win over Hartlepool United and has trained with the first-team all season.

However, Batty still faces another month out with an ankle ligament injury sustained while playing for the Under-21s in November.

Right back James Brown is back at Rovers after his loan spell at Stockport County was cut short.

The Irishman played 22 times for the League Two side in the first half of the season having been freed up to leave on loan following the arrival of Callum Brittain.

The expectation is that Brown will be loaned out again in this window, despite the injury to Brittain, with Rovers covered in that position following the resurgence of Joe Rankin-Costello and Hayden Carter also being able to cover.

Several Scottish clubs expressed interest in Brown last January, so a move north of the border isn’t to be ruled out.

As for incomings, Rovers are yet to make a move in the window, though Tomasson has stressed the need to refresh the squad.

Rovers made six signings in the summer, but have since seen George Hirst recalled by parent club Leicester City and loaned to League One side Ipswich Town.

That has left a hole in Rovers’ attacking ranks which the club will prioritise in the window.

Rovers only moved for one midfielder in the summer, but Tomasson has switched between Jake Garrett, Lewis Travis and John Buckley as partners for loanee Tyler Morton since the World Cup break, with Adam Wharton having not started a league game since November 1.

And it is understood that midfield options are being explored by the club in this window.

The focus of the club’s search is understood to be overseas, a market that director of football Gregg Broughton was keen to explore, a quest boosted by the arrival of Luke Griffin as head of European scouting last month.  

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