Return of Jason Lowe and Shane Duffy like 'new signings' for Blackburn Rovers

Midfielder Lowe was restricted to just 14 appearances last season while defender Duffy missed the final three months of the campaign.

But, after putting in the extra hours over the summer, the 23-year-olds should both be back for the first week of pre-season.

Duffy has been given the all clear to resume full training after recovering from the serious knee injury he sustained in February.

And Lowe, who was working at Brockhall yesterday, is not far behind him after undergoing an operation to solve the foot problem he first picked up in the final friendly of last summer.

“Shane got signed off at the end of last week but he’s going to come back in a little bit earlier to top off,” said Bowyer, whose side will start their preparations for the big Championship opener at home to Wolves on August 8 when they resume training on Tuesday week.

“I’m delighted he’s got signed off as he’s done ever so well and worked ever so hard over the summer.

“Lowey is doing ever so well too. I can’t stress how big a loss he was for us last season with his energy and his sensing of danger in that position he plays.

“Having them both back will be like new signings.”

Bowyer’s squad can contain a maximum of 24 established players under the terms of Rovers’ embargo for failing Financial Fair Play.

It was a squad that was stretched to its limits toward the end of last season after a host of players joined long-term casualties Lowe, Duffy and captain Grant Hanley, who made an appearance for the U21s before the campaign was out, on the sidelines.

And Bowyer said: “With the restrictions we have with the embargo it’s going to be vitally important we have a clean bill of health and keep everybody fit and well for as long as we can.

“We had a lot of injuries last season and the people that work here, from the coaching, to the medical, to the doctor, took that personally and have analysed that.

“But sometimes you’ve got to be sensible about it and say, ‘look, they are impact injuries, they are part and parcel of the game, so there’s not a great deal you can do about it’.

“If there was something in training or anything like that we’d have put that right because of the expertise that we’ve got here with the medical and sports science teams.

“But it wasn’t anything connected to that so we’ll just keep training them properly and have them hard and robust for another season.”

Bowyer currently has space for four new free transfer or loan signings.

But he is working under the premise that he has room for only three as he is confident that out-of-contract midfielder Chris Taylor will agree a new deal.