Blackburn Rovers' transfer window is starting to heat up a little bit, even if deals in the opposite direction are closer to completion.

John Eustace sent a clear message that he is under no illusions that Rovers need fresh faces. With the squad laid out with two different starting XIs, it is evident that they need quality and numbers ahead of the Championship season.

Whilst there have been more backroom additions than players this summer, this was at least a reassuring acknowledgement from the head coach. Sure, no panic, but an admission that his group needs 'help'.

Doesn't that sound familiar?

Eustace wants to add more goal-scorers to his team, with the head coach keen to see some transition from 'hard to beat' to 'edging tight matches', as referenced by Joe Rankin-Costello.

Rovers picked up enough points to stay in the Championship last season but the natural evolution is to win more games to climb the table. To do that, they need reinforcements and to retain the talent they have.

They quite clearly need a senior alternative to Sam Gallagher up front. A centre-half or two, depending on Kyle McFadzean, and a goalkeeper. That's just a starter for ten.

Tim Krul is among the goalkeepers Rovers are considering as they look to add experience to the squad. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's name has been on the lips of Ewood recruitment staff for 12 months too, though that doesn't feel like it will be resolved quickly.

Of course, as we know, goal-scorers cost money and that is seemingly in short supply, currently. Rovers are financially sound in terms of keeping the lights on but there doesn't appear to be much of a transfer war chest to play with despite the sale of Adam Wharton and sell-on profit from David Raya.

Any additions at the top end of the pitch may have to wait until later in the window, via the loan market. August 20, the final date for Venky's court hearing, feels growingly prominent considering how the transfer window is shaping up.

There is movement on the outgoing side, though. Leopold Wahlstedt was sold last week and Semir Telalovic is in talks to follow him out of Ewood Park after one year.

It is quite symbolic that, after the club gutted their recruitment staff, two sticks often used to beat Gregg Broughton and Co. with look like they will be the first senior players out of the door. They were the only players that Rovers paid a fee for in the summer of '23. No doubt, last summer's recruitment was not good enough, with Sondre Tronstad the only undeniable success of those signed permanently.

Rovers have done well to get their money back on Wahlstedt. Telalovic was a lower-cost addition, though still in six figures. It's unclear, at the time of writing, whether Rovers will recoup that investment on the striker too.

The forward did not score in his first season in English football and, at times, looked a little too raw having made the jump from the German fourth tier to the Championship.

We never saw muchof the attributes that clearly attracted the attention of the recruitment team as a cost-effective solution to their striker hole. The post at the MKM Stadium was the closest Telalovic got to a goal.

After being used sparingly by Jon Dahl Tomasson, the writing was on the wall pretty quickly under Eustace too. He was often an unused substitute, even in games where Rovers needed a goal, with the late miss at Birmingham in Eustace's first game a prophecy that his luck wouldn't change even under a new head coach.

If Eustace doesn't trust these players, then Rovers are right to move them on. Harry Leonard is a better option, though we pray he can regain fitness and build some momentum, and Telalovic's minutes are better served with Academy prospects such as Zak Gilsenan or Igor Tyjon.

Whilst we all want to see new faces coming in to bolster the squad, at least Rovers are making a considered effort to make room for their arrivals.