Tony Mowbray hasn’t given up hope of Stewart Downing returning to Ewood Park despite admitting Rovers’ priorities lie in other areas of the pitch.

Rovers will make goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski their first signing of the summer and hope to make the announcement within the next 48 hours after a six-figure fee was reached with AA Gent for the goalkeeper who has undergone his medical after flying to England this morning.

A back-up goalkeeping option is being explored, but the main priority will be source two new central defenders, with a left-back also on the manager’s wishlist.

A striker signing has been ruled out for now, with Mowbray happy with the firepower available despite the departures of Danny Graham and Dominic Samuel, with Bradley Dack possibly just six weeks away from his return to action,

Graham and Samuel were two of five players released by the club at the end of their contracts, but Downing looks set to make that six despite having been offered a new deal after impressing in his 43 appearances last season.

Mowbray admits it is something he could revisit later in the window, should the 36-year-old still be available on a free transfer, but knows he has other areas to address first.

“There’s a chance he still might. When you have a pot of money you have to spend it where you need to,” Mowbray said.

“We need as many good players we can have and Stewy Downing was one of our better players last year.

“We had conversations with him but at this moment we haven’t got a senior goalkeeper at the club, and with the tight turnaround from one season to the next, we have to focus on making sure we spend what money we’ve got on the areas that are crucial.

“Tosin Adarabioyo went back to Manchester City and he was key for us last year, we’ve had some young central defenders who have real good potential, but that’s another area of the pitch we have to focus on.

“When we get the goalkeeping and defensive situation sorted out then we’ll see what we’ve got left and if Stewy Downing hasn’t signed a contract somewhere else, and is available, then we’ll consider that.”

Adam Armstrong scored 17 times last season to end as top scorer, and picked up where he left off with two goals in the win over Fleetwood Town.

Sam Gallagher missed that game with a slight groin injury but could return in time for the friendly at Blackpool.

And Mowbray is confident his striking options will be able to score the necessary goals for Rovers to improve on last season’s 11th-placed finish.

“Armstrong came on and scored goals as he does. He proved last season he’s a top player,” the manager added.

“He looks like he can score goal, in training you watch him and he’s shooting off both feet with batting an eyelid, doesn’t seem to have a weaker foot.

“He’s a good kid, and he’ll score goals for us this year I’m sure if he stays fit.

“We’re excited about Brereton, Gallagher, Dack is back in training the other which is exciting for us all.

“Top end of the pitch we think we can score goals this year and we have to get it right at the other end.”

Dack has been out since December with a cruciate knee ligament injury, but has worked hard alongside physio Ollie Waite, who last week left the club to join Crystal Palace, to be in a position to resume non-contact training.

The 26-year-old is expected to be limited to that for the next three weeks before stepping up his work with the squad and ultimately be fit enough to push for inclusion in the starting line-up once again.

“We have to manage him, take care of him,” Mowbray added.

“He has started getting his boots and doing some warm-ups with the team, a bit of possession and shooting drills, but he’s not in full contact training yet.

“He needs another two or three weeks and then maybe we can arrange some games behind closed doors for him.

“Another month, six weeks, maybe he’ll be back into the team.”