Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray says midfielder Lewis Travis has the attributes required to one day play in the Premier League.

A graduate of Rovers' academy, Travis made his first-team debut for the club back in August 2017, and after establishing himself as a regular figure for the side in the latter part of the 2018/19 season, has now made 122 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring three goals.

Indeed, despite still only being 24-years-old himself, Travis is now one of the more senior and experienced players in Mowbray's Blackburn squad. The holding role he fills a key part of this Rovers side, not least with the protection he offers the defence behind him.

Now it seems as though Mowbray believes that the midfielder has just what it takes to make the step up and do that job in the Premier League in the coming years.

Giving his verdict on Travis, the Blackburn manager was quoted by Lancs Live as saying: “He brings a spirit to the team and that’s why he generally plays when he’s available. Trav’s got lots of areas to improve his football but he’s a warrior at heart, he’s made of the right stuff.

“He wants to win every tackle, every five-a-side and every game. It’s really important to have those ingredients in your football team.

“He of course has to perform to play but generally his personality means that he’ll give everything he’s got, whether he has a great game or a bad one.

“Trav puts a responsibility on himself. He’s very aware of the competition around the club and who can potentially play in midfield. He makes sure there are no down days in training.

“As a football manager, to see who has it in their belly when the games come thick and fast, Travis is someone who is always up for the fight.

“As for his growth areas, if he wants to play in the Premier League then he needs to add to his repertoire by getting goals and assists. His ability to play forward passes does need to improve and he knows all of this.

“He’s working really hard to improve on those aspects and I am pretty sure that Travis will play in the Premier League, hopefully with us. He loves making a tackle and every team, those successful teams, you need that.”

As things stand, there are two years remaining on the midfielder's contract with the club, with the option to extend by a further 12 months, effectively securing Travis' future at Ewood Park until the end of the 2023/24 season.

The Verdict

It does feel rather hard to argue with Mowbray's assessment of Travis here.

The midfielder has emerged as an absolutely vital figure in the centre of the park for the Lancashire club in recent times, and his absence is often noticeable when he doesn't feature due to injury or suspension.

Indeed, at 24-years-old, there is still plenty of time remaining in Travis' career for him to develop and improve, to a point where he ought to be more than capable of competing at top-flight level.

With that in mind, it would be something of a surprise if top-flight clubs do not come calling for him sooner rather than later, although Travis' contract means Rovers are in a strong position to negotiate any offers that come in.

As a result, the business they did by securing that deal back in 2019, does look to be very smart indeed.