Here is a round-up of Rovers-related news.

 

GELHARDT GREEN LIGHT FOR BLACK CATS

Tony Mowbray and Sunderland look to have won the race for Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt.

Gelhardt is due on Wearside for a medical before joining the club on loan for the remainder of the season after the financials were agreed with his parent club.

A host of Championship clubs were linked with the 20-year-old throughout the window.

Rovers held talks with Leeds over Gelhardt earlier in the month, but are understood to have prioritised other deals.

With the level of competition and also the huge financials involved in the deal, as well as the type of player Gelhardt is, it always felt unlikely that Ewood Park would be his destination.

Rovers’ striker search has been further complicated by the growing uncertainty over a prospective move for Deniz Undav.

A deal has been agreed with Brighton, but frustratingly the deal hasn’t progressed as expected.

The 26-year-old had been given the green light to go out on loan by boss Roberto De Zerbi, but he remains at the AMEX Stadium with just four days of the window left.

Rovers have until 11pm on Tuesday, January 31 to add to their squad.

 

U21S IN CUP CLASHES

Rovers Under-21s will play two Premier League Cup games in the space of four days.

The final group game with Peterborough United, postponed earlier this month just 20 minutes ahead of kick-off due to a frozen pitch, has now been rescheduled for Friday, February 3 (4pm) at Leyland.

Rovers are already assured of their place in the knockout rounds, irrespective of the Peterborough result, and will face Huddersfield Town in the last 16.

That game will be played on Tuesday, February 7 at the John Smith’s Stadium (7pm).

Mike Sheron’s side return to action tomorrow night when they travel to face Manchester United in Premier League 2 (7pm).

 

DRAW DETAILS

The FA Cup fifth round draw will take place on Monday night.

It will take place on the One Show on BBC One, with the 16 ties to be drawn from 7pm.

Rovers will hope to be in the hat for what would be their first appearance in the fifth round since 2016/17.

Fifth round ties are scheduled for midweek on the week commencing February 27, with the winning teams collecting £225,000 in prize money.

Should Rovers get beyond Birmingham, then they will be ball number nine in the draw.

 

EVANS INJURY BLOW

Corry Evans has been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining an ACL injury.

The 32-year-old was taken off just 11 minutes into Sunderland’s win over Middlesbrough last weekend, and scans have confirmed the club’s worst fears.

The former Rovers midfielder had established himself as a key man at Sunderland, having been handed the captaincy at the Stadium of Light.

Tony Mowbray said of Evans’ injury: "I have no fears he'll be back stronger and helping us in the future. I haven't personally spoken to him. I took it pretty badly, I went through the situation with Bradley Dack and it's a really personal thing.

"When you're with a footballer and they have a bad injury it's tough. You have to spend a lot of time away from what you want to do, but he'll cope with it fine. Footballers push the reset button and know they have to get on with it.”