TONY Mowbray is looking to add more competition to the Rovers squad, with the head coach still eyeing up to four new recruits before the transfer window closes.

A new goalkeeper is among the targets Mowbray is working hard to bring to Ewood Park following the departure of Jason Steele to Sunderland on Tuesday for a reported £500,000.

Mowbray is also targeting at least one more striker, most likely on loan, with the Steele deal freeing up funds for the boss to put the finishing touches to his squad.

Rovers have been proactive in the window so far, making seven permanent signings as Mowbray looks to build a squad capable of winning promotion back to the Championship.

But adding more strength in depth is now the main aim of the Rovers boss.

“We need to create more competition,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I said to them after (the Grimsby win) that we hope to maybe bring in three or four more players.

“It would be nice to do it in the next week but that is probably unlikely.

“We have a window to work to, but the players that come late, that’s okay.

“They are potentially loan players, there might be the odd signing in there, but some players will help with numbers.”

Free agent Ross Turnbull, and promising Middlesbrough youngster Connor Ripley, son of former Rovers winger Stuart, have emerged as potential goalkeeper targets to fill the gap left by Steele’s departure.

Mowbray wants a second stopper despite having been impressed by 21-year-old David Raya who played the final five games of last season

The Spaniard, who has played the majority of pre-season games, is expected to start the campaign as number one, but he has made just 15 senior appearances so far for Rovers.

In Danny Graham, and summer signing Dominic Samuel, Rovers have just two senior strikers on their books and Mowbray is looking for at least one more forward.

The Ewood boss may also look at adding more cover in defence, with Paul Caddis the only defender to have been brought in so far.

Mowbray was without three senior players for Tuesday’s pre-season friendly at Grimsby Town, with Darragh Lenihan, Corry Evans and Craig Conway all missing through injury.

But Rovers were still able to name a strong starting line-up, winning 1-0 courtesy of Graham’s fourth goal in pre-season.

The bench, as it has been for a lot of pre-season, was supplemented by a number of the club’s Academy graduates.

Five of them travelled with the first-team squad to Austria, while Joe Rankin-Costello has also been given some game-time in the close season.

But while Mowbray has been impressed with their contribution, he admits it would be a tall order to ask them to play a big part in the club’s push for promotion next time.

He added: “With total respect to these young boys we can’t ask them to come in and play 20 or 30 games so we need some players around the squad to beef it up a bit.”