ROVERS boss Tony Mowbray has stepped up his search for a striker as he looks to add competition to last season’s top scorer Danny Graham.

Graham netted 12 times for Rovers last season, but is one of just two senior strikers, along with Anthony Stokes, on the club’s books for next season.

Stokes endured a difficult opening season at Ewood Park, failing to find the net, or start a Championship fixture, since August.

And following the departure of loan trio Sam Gallagher, Marvin Emnes and Lucas Joao, Mowbray is turning his attentions to his strike force after reserving his early business exclusively to midfielders.

“We do need to give him (Graham) some help,” Mowbray said.

“We’ve got Anthony Stokes, but I need to create more competition really. I need a hungry firing Danny Graham, who feels a younger different type of striker breathing down his neck.

“Sam Gallagher did that last year and of course we had Lucas Joao and Marvin Emnes. We need players who can put pressure on the striking department and obviously at times play together, because there's so many games in this league, so we’ll need to replace and give them game time.

“We’re looking now. That search has begun. We’ve made some calls to certain clubs and asked about certain players and to the Blackburn Rovers fans ‘watch this space’.

“Hopefully, over the next few weeks, we’ll be trying to add to that department of our team as well, but I think Bradley (Dack) can score goals, Ben (Gladwin) can score goals, Peter’s (Whittingham) delivery will help us score goals, but yes, at this moment, with Marvin, Sam and Lucas Joao leaving, that is an area of the pitch we need to strengthen and we’re working very hard on that.”

Graham struggled with niggling injuries towards the end of last season, and had a minor operation on his groin during the last international break in March.

However, Mowbray reported the striker to have worked hard on his fitness during the close season and is hoping the 31-year-old can help fire Rovers to promotion next season.

“Danny Graham came in for a few days training before pre-season started and it’s great to see that he’s so focused,” Mowbray told the club’s official website.

“I’ve talked to him about the focus required. League One is a tough league, but he’s been in doing extra training early on and I’m delighted about that.”