Darren Moore on the possibility of loanees returning to Doncaster Rovers next season

Rovers had an impressive crop of loanees through the 2019/20 season, which was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And Moore would welcome returns for the six players that ended the campaign at the Keepmoat - Seny Dieng, Niall Ennis, Ben Sheaf, Cameron John, Jacob Ramsey and Jason Lokilo.

But he believes the improvement shown by the players during their time with Rovers could lead their parent clubs to attempt to position them at a higher level next term.

“There’s always a chance of them coming back if it’s right,” he told the Free Press.

“But because of their improvement here, maybe their clubs will want to try them at a different level.

“They might have made up that yardage and ground where they’re competing at the level when they go back to their clubs. The clubs might think they’re getting closer to first team level and want them out at Championship clubs to make it even closer.

“We’ll wait and see.

“We can say we’d love to have them back. In another 12 months time they’ll be bigger and stronger, fitter, better and more knowledgeable with more experience.

“You’d be getting an even better player because of the experience they’ve had this year and they know what it’s all about.

“There’s some of the players that can play at Championship level and will be thinking individually that they can for their own careers.”

Of the six, only Lokilo is set to be out of contract in the summer, with his time at Crystal Palace due to come to an end.

Moore has previously expressed an interest in signing the winger on a permanent deal and is understood to have enquired about the Belgian’s availability.

Lokilo managed just one game for Rovers during his loan spell as he was brought up to speed after arriving on January 31.

*

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor