ROVERS are working hard to finalise the signing of Reading striker Dominic Samuel, with boss Tony Mowbray admitting the hold-up is ‘out of our hands’.

Mowbray had hoped that Samuel would have signed in time to travel to Austria for Rovers’ pre-season training camp, having been left out of Reading’s squad which headed for Holland last week.

But while that didn’t prove to be the case, Rovers are still hopeful of a positive conclusion in the coming days, as they wait to make their fifth summer signing.

Mowbray has made strengthening his attacking ranks his immediate priority, but is happy with the way his squad is coming together with less than a month until the start of the new season.

“There’s no frustration, everyone behind the scenes is working really hard,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph of his quest to add to his squad.

“The one I would have hoped to have over here is out of our hands, we have done everything we can, it’s other issues. But the club and everyone one behind the scenes is working extremely hard to try and put together a squad that can be very competitive in this division and I think it’s coming together.

“I hope there’s some more exciting signings for the supporters over the next three or four weeks.”

Rovers are also expected to make a decision on the future of trialist Paul Caddis in the coming days.

Caddis, a free agent after leaving Bury in the summer, has trained with the squad since they returned from their close season break on June 28 and has featured in both friendlies so far.

The 29-year-old is a player Mowbray knows from their time together at Celtic and the head coach has praised Caddis’ qualities ahead of the Austria trip.

The squad flew back to East Lancashire yesterday and will now prepare for tomorrow’s friendly at York City (7.30pm).

Despite missing out on a new signing, Mowbray was happy with the way the week in Austria went as the player spent a full week together in the picturesque surroundings of Salzburg which concluded with Friday’s friendly with Sparta Prague.

He added: “The group worked hard, we generally stayed away from any serious injuries, had a little strains and a bit of tightness but generally they have all trained and work hard together.

“It was good that they spent 24 hours a day together rather than finishing training at 2pm and heading off home and not seeing each other until the next morning.

“It was good that they can socialise together, have a coffee in the evening and chat about football, and I think they are a good honest bunch of lads who are working really hard.”