Jon Dahl Tomasson remains optimistic about Rovers’ transfer search in the final days of the window.

Rovers made their first breakthrough of January when signing Sorba Thomas on loan from Huddersfield Town.

Tomasson welcomed the addition of the 24-year-old who he feels can unlock Rovers’ attacking potential and add some ‘X-Factor’ in the final third.

A striker is Rovers’ priority before the January 31 cut-off with George Hirst having been recalled from his loan spell earlier in the window.

That also ended the permanent clause within the deal, with the 23-year-old having previously been seen as a long-term option at the top end of the pitch.

“I’m a positive man, quite optimistic, I think there will be more players coming in, I hope,” Tomasson said.

“The people whose responsibility it is are working extremely hard to get them over the line in a difficult January window.

“We all know that we need new players in the building, to give new energy, competition, so let’s wait until the end and keep on being positive.”

Tomasson wouldn’t be drawn on Rovers’ interest in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Deniz Undav, but confirmed that the forward line is the priority.

“I think we’ve been linked with more than 100 players,” he added.

“I will be optimistic and say that there will be players coming in.

“It’s out of my hands but I know people are working extremely hard to get that arranged.

“Hirst went away, we’ve got a winger which I think is important.

“In the summer, 12 players with minutes went away, we got six new players in and a lot of young players from the youth.

“I think the final third would be a good place to get players in, to create goals, score goals.”

Thomas clocked up six assists in 23 appearances for parent club Huddersfield who are struggling at the wrong end of the Championship table.

He managed 12 last season in their run to the play-off final and is a set-piece specialist.

Thomas has also delivered the third-most crosses of any player in the division, qualities that Tomasson feels Rovers can benefit from.

He said: “Of course he’s a player who’s played a lot of games this season so is up to speed.

“He’s a bit different to the rest of our players, he can play to the left or to the right.

“He has speed and has good quality regarding set plays and crossing capacity.

“This season, but especially last season, he did a great job with a lot of assists.

“He was in the top five in the Championship regarding assists.

“(Joe) Rothwell went away, he had 46 per cent of all assists last season and was an important player for the club, he did well for the club, but we’re happy to get Sorba Thomas in.

“First of all we need to look at the squad, the direction we want to play football and work with players.

“If you look at our front players we have great players, but some young players.

“Ben (Brereton) has of course scored a lot of goals, but the next top scorer hasn’t scored that many goals.”

Thomas will be ineligible for tomorrow’s FA Cup tie with Birmingham City having already played in the competition for Huddersfield.

But welcoming into the group, Tomasson said: “He’s an excellent signing, you know how difficult the January month is especially when you can’t give money away.

“On the other hand he’s a player with game-time, X-Factor, his quality with crossing and set pieces, his speed, I wouldn’t say that we’re lacking but we don’t have that type of player in our squad.

“It’s good to have new players in, new blood, competition in the dressing room and we need that.”

Thomas’ signing is a loan until the end of the season, with no option to buy included.

“For the moment,” Tomasson said of the short-term nature of the Wales international’s stay.

“One way of signing players in the January window is loan deals, a player that hasn’t played that much can be a risk and a lottery.

“I think he’s one who’s played a lot of minutes which I’m very happy with.

“You have the long-term, but you need to have money to do that.”

Rovers had made a six-figure bid for Hibernian central defender Ryan Porteous whose deal was expiring at the end of the season.

However, the 23-year-old is set for a move to Watford, despite Rovers’ offer being in excess of their Championship rivals.

“I gave you Ryan last week and he is an interesting player on the short-term but also the long-term,” Tomasson said.

“He’s a player with quality that we’re looking for, but we always have one issue, the financial part.

“Watford, Udinese, if they are the clubs then we aren’t going to win it because we don’t have the money for it.”