Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer wants signing before Portugal trip

The Rovers boss is still waiting to make his first summer capture but he is hopeful that will change in the next 10 days.

“We’re working very hard,” said Bowyer, who is restricted to free transfer and loan signings under the terms of the club’s embargo for failing Financial Fair Play.

“Tommy Johnson, our chief scout, is beginning to hate me because I’m constantly on at him.

“So, as I say, everybody is working hard and, the restrictions we’re under, we know what they are and where we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

“It’s important that we bring some players in to increase the numbers into what remains a very competitive squad.

“If we could get some in by Monday, then that would be great, as we could have a full week to work with them here, but if not, Portugal, as that is the perfect place to help them settle in quickly.”

Rovers, who returned to training on Monday, will spend next week at their Brockhall base in preparation for the pre-season opener at neighbours Accrington Stanley.

They will then head over to the Algarve, for the third year running, for an intensive warm-weather camp.

“We’ll increase the tempo of the training next week, which will delight the players, and then we’ve got a week away in Portugal,” said Bowyer, who is running the rule over two unnamed trialists.

“Hopefully by then we’ll be more aware of what we’ve got because the trip away is fantastic for getting the players to gel and for getting a closer and better understanding of each other.

“We’re going to the same place we’ve been the last two years and after each time we’ve come back you could see it was invaluable for us.”

Midfielders Darragh Lenihan (pictured below), 21, and Chris Taylor, 28, will both be on the plane to Portugal after agreeing new one-year contracts.

“Darragh did ever so well for us at the back end of the season and it was important for him to put pen to paper,” said Bowyer, whose small outfield playing squad has been swelled by the inclusion of 17-year-old right-back Ryan Nyambe and fit-again 21-year-old striker Anton Forrester.

“He has the flexibility to play centre-half and centre-midfield. He probably sees himself as more of a centre-midfielder but if you look at his performances at centre-back toward the end of the season, and look at the players he played against, I thought he applied himself well.

“It’s now up to him to push on.

“We also needed to keep Tayls. I think he showed, more so last season, what he’s capable of and he’s a fantastic lad around the place as well.”

One player who has not been at Brockhall yet this week is Leon Best.

However it is understood that the transfer-listed striker, who has been in negotiations over a settlement to the final 12 months of his lucrative four-year contract, will soon return to training.

Bowyer says the players (pictured below at Brockhall) who have been at Brockhall are in ‘fantastic shape’.

He added: “They were given a programme at the end of the season and you can clearly see they have all followed that.

“We’ve also been blessed that Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley and Shane Duffy have joined back in with us. It’s like having three new signings – no embargo!”

Head of recruitment Johnson, meanwhile, is working around the clock in a bid to bolster the Rovers ranks.

Johnson said: “Basically we can only sign free transfers and loans because of the Financial Fair Play which has been incurred in the last six months.

“So, it’s really difficult. We can have a maximum 24 players as well and there are constraints on the salaries.

“Everyone knows what Blackburn is like, the facilities etc, so it’s not a problem getting to speak to the players and to show them what we have got here. All the facilities are excellent.

“It is difficult with the wage constraints but we have been in it now for a few months and we know the cards that we’ve been dealt.

“It is difficult but there are players out there and we’re making inroads with a few at the minute.

“We’re on the phone 24-7 most days of the week, and probably until the window finishes, and then we’ll see where we go by the end of August.

“We’ve got the nucleus of a good squad and we just want to try and carry it further now. Some of the lads have renewed their contracts, probably been offered better contracts elsewhere, but it just shows the stature of the club.”