Rovers have taken a 28-man squad for their week-long trip to Portugal.

The squad flew out to the Algarve where they will spend the next week before returning to Brockhall and then leading into the opening friendly at Accrington Stanley on Saturday, July 9.

Rovers have already switched that fixture to two separate games of 60 minutes to allow Tomasson to have an extended look at his squad.

The new head coach received his work permit on Thursday which allowed him to take training for the first time.

He will ramp up his assessment of the squad, and also get to know them much more, during their time away in Portugal.

That will be one of two trips away from their Brockhall training base, with the squad heading to Scotland for five days which will take in friendlies at Dundee (July 13) and Celtic (July 16).

Rovers were due to travel to Portugal last summer, but postponed those plans due to ongoing Covid restrictions, and instead headed to Stirling University where they will head next month.

The Portugal trip was carried over to this year, meaning Rovers will have two separate training camps. They also travelled to Portugal at the start of 2020 for a warm weather training camp.

Ben Brereton only returned to Brockhall following his international commitments with Chile on Thursday, but has flown out with the squad to Portugal.

Bradley Dack hasn’t had a pre-season since 2019 because of his two separate ACL injuries, but is building up his fitness with the group ahead of what promises to be a key campaign for the 28-year-old.

Prospects Ash Phillips, Adam Wharton and Harry Leonard have made the trip, as has Under-23s captain Sam Barnes.

Tyler Magloire, Hayden Carter and Dan Butterworth, who all finished last season out on loan, are in the travelling party.

New signing Ethan Walker will also get a chance to push his claims for inclusion in the first-team squad.

Those who haven’t travelled to Portugal will be part of the Under-23s squad who play the first friendly of their pre-season campaign at AFC Darwen on Tuesday, June 28 (7.45pm).

Goalkeepers: Kaminski, Pears, Eastham, Dowling

Central defenders: Ayala, S Wharton, Carter, Magloire, Barnes, Phillips

Full backs: Brown, Rankin-Costello, Pickering, Edun

Central midfielders: Travis, Garrett, A Wharton

Attacking midfielders: Buckley, Dack

Wide players: Dolan, Markanday, Hedges, Walker

Forwards: Brereton, Gallagher, Leonard, Vale, Butterworth

TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION...

Gain unlimited access to the Lancashire Telegraph website with a premium digital subscription with a one month FREE trial