BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer has fired a chilling warning to the rest of the Championship by insisting there is more to come from hitman Rudy Gestede.

The lethal striker celebrates a year at Ewood Park on Saturday when Rovers resume their campaign by welcoming Roses rivals Leeds United to town.

Gestede will go into the game on the back of a run of five goals in his previous four matches that has taken his tally in a blue and white halved shirt up to 23 in 44 appearances since signing, initially on loan, from Cardiff City on November 25 last year.

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Ten of those goals have came in 16 games this season and the Benin international, who was also on target for his country last week, is now regarded as one of the most feared frontmen in the division.

But Bowyer believes Gestede has got room for improvement in his game.

He said: “He’s been magnificent since he arrived at the club and the great thing is we still think there’s more to come from him.

“He’s got to get hold of the ball better for us, he’s got to link it up at times better for us, but he knows that and he’s working ever so hard on it in training.

“But we’ve also got to make sure we keep supplying him because he’s in a great vein of form.”

Gestede scored one just goal for Rovers in his initial six-week loan spell from Cardiff.

But that did not stop Bowyer from parting with £200,000 to sign the towering targetman on a permanent deal as soon as the January transfer window opened.

It has certainly proved money well spent as Gestede has notched 22 goals in his 37 appearances since then.

“He was never a gamble because we did our homework and we knew him from when he was at Cardiff and we were the caretakers here,” said Bowyer.

“He’s just grown in confidence and, like many strikers when they’re scoring, he’s just got better and better.

“To reach 10 for the season is a fantastic return for him and he deserves to be in double figures for all the hard work he’s put in.

“But he can’t rest on his laurels and hopefully he’ll now get to 20 goals.”

Gestede joined Cardiff from Metz in July 2011 and he helped the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2012-13.

But his goal record at the Bluebirds – nine in 63 appearances, 48 of which came from the bench – is nothing compared to his one at Rovers.

Gestede puts that down to the faith shown in him by Bowyer and his coaching staff.

And, one year after arriving at Rovers, he admits he could not be happier.

“I’m enjoying it a lot, being on the pitch every week, scoring goals, and playing with good lads, in a good team, and with a good manager and good staff,” said Gestede, who netted Benin’s consolation in their 6-1 defeat in Morocco on Thursday.

“Everybody is very nice, it’s a family club and I feel very good to be here.

“The club has helped me to settle down. My family is happy, which is the main thing, I’m enjoying it a lot and hopefully I’m going to keep improving.”