NEW boy Jacob Davenport is not guaranteed a starting spot at Rovers such is the depth of competition for midfield places at Ewood Park, says boss Tony Mowbray.

The teenager completed a move to Rovers from Manchester City this week, signing a four-year deal.

The 19-year-old arrives in East Lancashire highly-rated and having played 17 games in the Championship during a loan spell at Burton Albion last season.

But while Mowbray is excited to see what his latest signing can do in a Rovers shirt, he insists Davenport will not walk straight into the team.

Corry Evans and Richie Smallwood were the mainstays of the Rovers midfield during last season's successful League One promotion campaign while Peter Whittingham and Lewis Travis can also play that role.

Davenport's fellow new signing Joe Rothwell can also operate in the middle of midfield and Elliott Bennett filled in there to good effect last term.

So Mowbray, whose side kick off their pre-season schedule at Scottish Premiership side Hibs on Sunday, is expecting competition for places in the middle of the park to be 'fierce.'

Of Davenport, the Ewood boss added: “He’s got to compete with Smallwood, who was one of our better players last year; against Evans, who’s an international player; and against Travis, who we think extremely highly of.

“People will have to compete with Jacob for a place in the team, and the competition is going to be fierce. Corry, Richie, Lewis, Peter, they all have to compete.

"Rothwell can play centrally too. We want as many good players as we can get at this club.

“That’s reason we buy young, hungry players who want to force their way into the team, hopefully it makes everyone better.

“The best players will get into the team, those who know how we play and what we do. Jacob will have to spend a few weeks getting used to that, of course.

“He’s still very young, he’s got to force his way into the side against the competition that we’ve got."