Now Tony Mowbray has returned from India following talks with owners Venky’s with his budget in tow, where will Rovers look to strengthen? Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe takes a look.

COMPETITION FOR DAVID RAYA

Rovers goalkeeper David Raya was handed the number one shirt last summer and repaid the faith of his manager by being named the club’s young player of the year and earning a place in the League One team of the year.

He recovered from some testing moments in the early weeks of the campaign to become a dependable figure between the sticks, producing some match-winning saves, particularly late in the season.

At 22 he has plenty of experience under his belt, but Mowbray is understood to be keen on adding competition to his young goalkeeper.

Jayson Leutwiler started just one league game, the penultimate fixture at Charlton, and played a further three times in the cup competitions.

With Raya’s form, Mowbray admits he had no concern over the goalkeeping position last season, but a more experienced challenger for the gloves, with Leutwiler having never played above League One, is a deal the boss is expected to look in to.

Former Rovers Academy graduate Frank Fielding, currently at Bristol City, is one player to have been identified.

ATHLETICISM IN CENTRAL MIDFIELD

The loan deal of Rekeem Harper from West Brom may not have paid off, but adding another athletic option in the middle of the park is something Mowbray is keen on.

Richie Smallwood started every league game last season and while he impressed, there was no real like-for-like replacement for his spot in the team.

Although Corry Evans finished the season strongly, Peter Whittingham struggled for form and fitness throughout 2017/18.

Elliott Bennett was utilised in a central area after the turn of the year before being needed at right-back following Ryan Nyambe’s injury.

The development of Lewis Travis offers an interesting quandary for Mowbray, though another option in the centre will be a consideration.

Mowbray has touched on the fact he’s looking to add hungry, athletic, technical players to his squad this summer. Manchester City youngster Jacob Davenport could fit the bill on either a temporary or permanent deal.

PACE OUT WIDE

The departure of Rovers’ loan quartet means Bennett is the only wide player currently on the club’s books.

And he spent much of the second half of the season operating in central midfield or at right back.

Craig Conway is considering the offer of a new contract and struggled for game-time in 2017/18, not helped by niggling injuries.

Mowbray often went with ‘wide strikers’, with Dominic Samuel, plus loanees Marcus Antonsson and Adam Armstrong playing much of their football cutting in from the flanks.

More natural wide players will be a top priority, with the addition of some out-and-out pace a key facet ahead of a Championship return.

Uncertainty over Harry Chapman’s availability and the situation surrounding Armstrong, mean Rovers are casting the net wider than just former loanees.

Gwion Edwards at Peterborough, who impressed in both games against Rovers, and has a year left to run on his contract at the ABAX Stadium, could be of interest.

DANNY GRAHAM MK II

It is hoped that Danny Graham will extend his stay at Rovers into a third season after proving his worth to the team with 17 goals last term.

That was just one short of Bradley Dack and Graham was joint top scorer in the 2016/17 campaign with 12, despite struggling for starts in the second half of that season after Mowbray’s arrival.

Graham is proven at Championship level and seems to have rediscovered his hunger after a terrific end to this season.

He is at an age now, 32, where he won’t be able to start every week so Rovers will need to consider their options.

Graham’s abilities to hold the ball up meant he was a big loss when he was either rested, or substituted, so someone to take the burden off him will be essential.

Rovers have just two strikers on their books, in Dominic Samuel and Joe Nuttall. The former has played in the second tier but, after a bright start to his Ewood Park career, has failed to score since November while Nuttall remains a work in progress.

The feeling is Graham will sign a new Rovers deal but even if he stays, a striker will be on Mowbray’s shopping list.