NIKOLA Kalinic has vowed to prove he can be a Premier League success this season after insisting his first taste of English football went ‘better than expected’.

Blackburn Rovers’ £6million Croatian showed glimpses of his potential in his debut Premier League campaign but is determined to step up a level in the coming months.

The former Hajduk Split striker has already emerged as a firm fans favourite at Ewood Park, having hit seven goals in 21 starts last season, but he is confident he still has a lot more to come.

Kalinic, 22, was made to wait for a regular league starting place last season as boss Sam Allardyce refused to rush him into the first team but believes he is now ready to make a more immediate impact.

He said: “Of course I am looking forward to the new season and the chance to prove I am capable of playing in the Premier League regularly as a main striker.

“I am willing to work hard to go a step further now because I want to become the first striker at Blackburn Rovers.

"I know that will not be easy but I believe with hard work that is possible.

“That will also mean I have a better chance of becoming a regular in the national team.

"I am grateful for the chance Blackburn have given me and will keep looking to repay their faith.”

Speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Telegraph from his girlfriend’s parents' home in Croatia, Kalinic revealed how he has already been working to ensure he becomes a success in East Lancashire.

Allardyce is continuing his attempts to bolster Rovers’ striking options this summer with just Kalinic and Jason Roberts his current forwards, but the Croatian is bidding to ease some of the problems himself next campaign.

“I stopped training about a week ago for a holiday and will start properly again in the next few days,” said Kalinic.

“I have been left a fitness programme by the manager and I will do everything I have been asked to be ready for the new season.

“The team will start training at the end of the month.

"We go to Austria and then come back to play games in England. I am really looking forward to it.

“Last season went according to expectations for me.

"I was told when I made the transfer from Croatia to Blackburn I would not be ready for the first team for the first six months.

"I understood that as I had to get used to the new league and get myself strong enough.

“I was patient for the first six months and just accepted I would not play all the time but that I would do my best when I did.

"Last season actually went better than I expected because I played more games towards the end and scored a few goals.”