There is a well-known analogy about London buses. That has applied to Blackburn Rovers this week.

It's been a manic 72 hours in the world of Rovers, with the recruitment team making up for lost time. After waiting until the end of July for their first senior summer signing, four player announcements have come at once.

We can debate whether Exause Mafoumbi counts as an official summer signing; he did get an announcement video not afforded to Jack Barrett or Aodhan Doherty, though he's expected to link up with the Under-21s initially. Either way, it's been a busy few days.

READ MORE: SZMODICS LATEST AS ROVERS TALKS CONTINUE

Makhtar Gueye and Yuki Ohashi are the much-needed strikers that fans have craved. Announcing their additions before the exit of Sam Gallagher was good optics for the club.

It is a sad farewell to Gally, after five years at Ewood Park as a permanent addition. He gave everything; his work rate was fantastic, he pressed from the front and was would always do a job for the team, even to his own detriment.

However, a package that could be worth £1.6million to Rovers is unquestionably decent business. Gallagher is 28 now, had one year left on his contract, was entering the last year of his contract and was always an injury concern.

The fee Rovers have paid for Gueye, by comparison, sits around the £1m mark. Ohashi is a low-cost, six-figure deal and so Rovers have replaced Gallagher with two strikers for roughly the same sort of numbers.

What these players don't guarantee you is goals in the Championship. They are unknown quantities, unproven at the level. There is rightly an air of excitement around that but if Sam Szmodics departs too, as is expected, they will need more tried and tested replacements to replace his goals.

After putting their faith in two unknowns last summer, their only signings that required a fee, cautious optimism is the right approach. 

Given how stretched the squad is, the hit rate on these additions needs to be high. Rovers have seen the benefit of a bulked up recruitment team this week with contacts from across the globe being pooled to acquire these targets.

Danny Batth should sew up Rovers' recruitment drive at centre-back, joining Kyle McFadzean to bolster Eustace's options this week. The experienced defender was Sunderland's Player of the Year in 2022/23 and had it not been for Venky's financial issues, would've been a Rovers player last summer.

I think Batth could surprise a few. His injury record is outstanding and he has been club captain throughout his career. The Norwich City move didn't go to plan but, clearly, last summer didn't quite go to plan for Batth.

It gives Rovers five options across the back, forgetting Scott Wharton for this season, which I think they need. It covers for injuries and gives Eustace the flexibility to play a back three when needed, though they've favoured a four in pre-season.

Sure, there will be concerns about getting everyone ample game time when they're all available. But this is a 46-game season and Rovers need depth in numbers.

One area that will surely be addressed before the window shuts is full-back. Rovers fans were disappointed to read that Georgie Gent is set to join Barnsley in a permanent deal, exclusively revealed by The Lancashire Telegraph.

The 20-year-old has shown exciting flashes in pre-season but context is key when discussing this move. Gent had one year left on his deal and after an impressive loan at Motherwell, his stock is at an all-time high.

It's understood that the player was particularly keen to seek assurances about regular first-team football. In truth, Gent is more of a wing-back or left-sided attacker than a left-back, where there is an obvious role for a Harry Pickering understudy. Rovers didn't particularly want to lose Gent but couldn't offer him the guarantees he desired.

When we interviewed Gent in May, it was evident he wasn't prepared for his development to be stunted by a season in-and-out of the side. He'd had a taste of the high life and wanted more and that is the attitude you want all young players to have.

I don't know exactly what the fee is. I've seen some reports of 200K, which does seem quite low for a player of his potential. Sometimes, this is how it goes.

What's clear is Rovers need some senior cover at full-back. Callum Brittain and Pickering can't be expected to ride the rigours of a full season alone. Sure, other players can fill in, Joe Rankin-Costello, Hayden Carter, Brittain can swap sides, but competition is needed.

I've liked what I've seen from Leo Duru in pre-season but it's a big leap for him to be ready. Would he be better out on loan? I think that's definitely the case for Jake Batty, who needs a season of regular men's football. 

So a left-back is definitely on the shopping list for me. A similar profile to Ben Chrisene would not go amiss. If Duru stays, Rovers might get by on the opposite flank with the other senior players who 'do a job'.

This week has been a step in the right direction for Rovers but it has to be the start; there is no time to reflect on a job well done.