BLACKBURN Rovers boss Owen Coyle believes new boy Sam Gallagher has all the raw materials needed to provide much more than just cover for first-choice frontmen Danny Graham and Anthony Stokes.

Summer signings Graham and Stokes are expected to lead the line in today’s clash at last season’s League One champions Wigan Athletic (3pm).

But they will be joined in the squad for the short trip to the DW Stadium by England Under-20 international Gallagher after he completed his season-long move from Southampton.

And Coyle said: “Sam is a hugely talented young player and a player I’ve admired for a number of years since he first burst on the scene in the Premier League with Southampton.

“Then he had a bad injury, which he’s bounced back from, and he looked fantastic in pre-season, and scored goals for Southampton’s first team, and we feel he’s a very good addition to the squad.

“He’s a powerful lad, 6ft 4in, strong, very, very quick, and can score goals, and I think he adds to the forward players in Danny Graham and Anthony Stokes and gives us a different dimension.

“I think he’ll do very well for us. I’m delighted to get him on board.”

Gallagher spent the first half of last season on loan at Rovers’ then Championship rivals MK Dons.

But while the 20-year-old failed to score in 15 appearances for Karl Robinson’s side his new manager has no doubt he can prove to be a ‘real asset’ at Ewood Park.

Coyle said: “He had a little spell at the start of last year and it probably didn’t go as well for him as he would have liked although I think he started his first game with two assists.

“The first loan can sometimes be difficult but we know what a good player he is and, having spoken to everybody at Southampton, he’s looked back to his best in pre-season. He’s looked the boy that played 18 games in the Premier League.

“Raw materials, he’s got them all, but what we have to do is fine tune them.

“But he certainly adds a different dimension in respect of his physicality, but also his speed. He’s a quick player who can score a goal.

“And if you put all those together, then of course he can be a real asset to the club.”

Stokes is proving to be exactly that after netting three goals in two games since his switch from Celtic while Graham has already firmly established himself as a fan favourite after his exploits on loan from Sunderland last season.

But Coyle said: “What we’ve got now is competition. All of a sudden the boys need to be on their toes because I think this kid (Gallagher) can play.

“He’s going to push them all the way. He wants to come here and start games. I love that hunger and desire and he had that when we had our chat.

“I think moving forward the kid can do really well.”

Coyle has put a left-back and a centre-back at the top of his shopping list before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

But when asked whether he planned to sign a fourth forward he said: “I’d love to keep adding. You can never ever have enough goalscorers at your football club.

“In Graham and Stokes we have proven goalscorers and Sam will show that as well because he’s done that at every level he’s played at.

“He comes here with an opportunity to get his game up and running and force his way back into the Southampton first-team plans when the loan ends.

“If the right player is available, and we’ve got the right financial environment to do it, of course we’d like to add, but it takes a number of things.

“We’ve still got our eye out there looking to improve certain areas.”