Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson admits his squad is stretched heading into the new Championship campaign.

The likes of Sam Gallagher and Arnor Sigurdsson will miss this weekend’s opener against West Brom, while Niall Ennis is still building up his fitness.

Tomasson had to rely on youth at times last term and pre-season has been a similar story, with no new signings coming in since June 21.

“We want a team who can push each other and if you look at last season, for example, we were actually the team who used the lowest number of players,” he told The Lancashire Telegraph.

“We even gave debuts to five or six youngers from the Academy, which was great.

“But we were stretched at the end of last season when we didn’t have a senior striker, and it was about winning in the end. Now we are even more stretched."

Meanwhile, there has been another twist in the David Raya saga heading into the new season.

The Spanish goalkeeper had been linked with a move to German giants Bayern Munich but reports in the national media claim Arsenal are now weighing up a move.

Raya racked up more than 100 appearances during his time at Ewood Park, making his senior debut in a 3-0 win at Leeds in April 2015.

He left East Lancashire to join Brentford in the summer of 2019 for an initial £3million fee and has since caught the eye in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old played 40 times last term as the Bees finished ninth in the top flight under Thomas Frank, beating the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea along the way.

The former Rovers man is entering the final 12 months of his Brentford deal and has already turned down an extension at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Lancashire Telegraph previously reported that Rovers would be in line to bank between £3m and £4m should a deal take place before the end of the current transfer window.

“Like everything it's a negotiation. I would love to get £40million,” Frank told the national press.

“That’s what he’s worth, I think he’s one of the best keepers. He was one of the four best keepers in the Premier League last season, so what is the price? 

“And Harry Kane, you’re talking one year left and £150million. The keeper is at his best age, I think.

“But anyway, a good thing I am not negotiating. That is for Phil Giles, Matthew Benham and Arsenal. I just take care of the coaching.”

He added: “Of course, as a coach you want players in as quickly as possible and players you want to sell out as quick as possible, but it is never like that.

“That is why we have transfer deadline day and a lot of things going on. We know it’s always complicated, always two sides of the coin and there is always negotiation. People need to meet somewhere.”