Blackburn Rovers will be looking to build on a disappointing end to the 2020/21 campaign by making a push for a top half finish next season under Tony Mowbray at Ewood Park. 

The likes of Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliot were stand out performers for the Lancashire outfit as they achieved a lower mid table finish in the Sky Bet Championship.

Like many clubs up and down the country, Rovers will be now be looking to strengthen their current squad ahead of next season, whilst they will also be looking to ward off interest in Armstrong in particular for as long as they can.

However, it does appear increasingly likely that the in-form striker could depart for pastures new, with several Premier League clubs having already been linked with a move for a player who has probably done enough to justify a move to the top flight.

Here, we take an early look at how Blackburn Rovers' starting XI could look in 2021/22.

The Belgian goalkeeper will be expected to continue in his role as the number one choice between the sticks at Ewood Park and will be looking to continue on from where he left off after a largely positive first season in English football.

At the age of 28, he is still very much in his prime years as a shot-stopper and his on field relationship with the Blackburn backline will only continue to improve over time as they play with each other more frequently.

It will be intriguing to see if he can keep more clean sheets than he did in the season just gone.

The Rovers academy product has now been tied down to the club for the foreseeable future after signing a new contract extension and will be now be looking to build upon what was a productive campaign for the full-back.

He contributed with four assists in the season just gone and will be looking to work hard on improving the attacking side of his game moving forwards as he looks to develop into a more all-round defender.

Nyambe is still very much a key player for Rovers and they will be delighted that he is staying put for the time being.

The Irish centre back is fast becoming one of the best Sky Bet Championship defenders after performing consistently well throughout what was a tough campaign for Rovers.

He will be looking to build on his performances for the Ewood Park club next term and as he continues through his prime years as a professional and will once again be a key player under Mowbray moving forwards.

It's taken him a few years to get to where he is now, but the progression in his game is there for all to see and many would be happy to see him take his place in the starting eleven once more.

The experienced Spanish centre back endured a frustrating first campaign at Ewood Park that was plagued by injury and will be looking to make up for lost time under Mowbray during the upcoming 2021/22 season.

His time at Middlesbrough and Norwich City underlined his ability to be a commanding presence at the heart of the backline and many will expect him to have the same sort of impact for Rovers moving forwards as he looks to get back to full fitness.

There is no reason why he can't nail down a starting spot in pre-season under the Blackburn boss.

The January signing from Crewe Alexandra will be champing at the bit to show people what he can do at Sky Bet Championship level after remaining on loan with his boyhood club in League One prior to linking up with Rovers this summer.

Pickering will add a combination of natural width and defensive solidity down the left hand side, whilst he also still has his best years ahead of his as a professional.

The full back has every chance of making the left back slot his own over the course of the upcoming season and many will watch his progression with interest.

The 23-year-old Blackburn academy graduate will certainly be looking to nail down a spot in midfield after seeing part of his previous campaign disrupted at Ewood Park.

Capable of dictating the play from deep, Travis is yet another young player that the club has big hopes for moving forwards and his cause has only been helped by the departure of Lewis Holtby.

If the midfielder can nail down a starting spot, he should go from strength to strength under the guidance of Mowbray, who has shown in the past that he has tremendous faith in the player as he continues to improve.

It appears likely that the experienced campaigner will slot in alongside Travis in holding midfield as he enters his third campaign with Rovers since making the move to the club from Derby County.

Johnson may have lost some of the legs that he provided in the engine room a few years back but he is still a commanding presence in the centre of the park that can make a difference for his side in both an attacking and defensive sense.

The 34-year-old will once again have a vital role to play for Blackburn as they seek to compete in the top half of the table next term.

The attacking winger is said to be a player that Blackburn are interested in this summer, with Rovers said to be looking at yet another Crewe Alexandra academy product after snapping up Harry Pickering.

He would add the same degree of skill and creativity on the right hand side that Harvey Elliot did in the season just gone and it would be intriguing to see how Dale would adapt to playing at Sky Bet Championship level.

He won't come cheap by Mowbray will no doubt view the signing of the young winger as a positive step in the right direction.

The versatile midfielder could well come in and make the number ten position his own under Mowbray if Rovers opt to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Rothwell's creativity sure to add the type of guile that the team will lack whilst Bradley Dack is out injured.

There is now a growing feeling that the 26-year-old can now nail down a permanent position in the side after being utilised in several different roles over the past 12 months.

It is sure to be a big season for the former Manchester United player and he will be looking to make a lasting impact moving forwards.

It was a positive season overall for Brereton as he received a shock call up to the Chile national team after contributing with seven goals and four assists across all competitions.

He continues to make the spot on the left hand side of the attack his own and his work rate and creativity has largely shone through under Mowbray during the past 12 months at Ewood Park.

Still aged 22, the sky is the limit for the former Nottingham Forest man and many people at the club will be looking to see some gradual improvements from the forward moving into the 2021/22 campaign.

A player who could well step up if Armstrong departs for pastures new, Gallagher enjoyed a mixed season at Ewood Park in the campaign just gone and will be looking to improve his goal scoring output heading into 2021/22.

Eight goals and three assists shows that he is moving in the right direction and perhaps a change in approach by Rovers could well provide him with more adequate service in order to get the 25-year-old hitting double figures.

The player has gradually improved since arriving from Southampton back in 2019 and could well become a regular starter moving into next season.