Rovers will look to add an attacker to their ranks this month – but Tony Mowbray insists a players’ character will have a large bearing on who comes through the arrivals door.

The injury to Bradley Dack has added an emphasis to the need for attacking additions in the January window with the top scorer ruled out for the rest of the season.

A new winger is an option, with Jordan Jones of Rangers linked, to free up Adam Armstrong to take over Dack’s role behind the striker.

But centre forward targets have also been drawn up this month, as Mowbray looks to add more firepower to his squad.

Sam Gallagher is likely to lead the line against neighbours Preston North End this afternoon, but has scored just three times since a £5m summer move from Southampton, while Ben Brereton has struggled to make an impact in his 18 months at the club.

“All of that is in the conversations we’ve been having. It’s about finding the right player,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph of attacking targets.

“It depends on the player, we’ve been looking really hard.

“If we sign a centre forward then Adam will probably find himself on the right or the left wing.

“If we sign a wide player, Adam will find himself in central areas.

 “I’m very strong on character and personality. We can look at videos, reports, we can see people who are fast, can dribble, yet I’m trying to dig in to characters and I know that longevity of success of football is about the character, the inner mechanisms, what drives him when the going gets tough.

“How he deals with disappointment and frustration, and that’s not easy to find the people who’ve worked with them to ask the questions about the human qualities of the player.

“Particularly if you’re talking about a winger because they’re generally pretty flighty individuals who are a maverick type.

“The work is ongoing, the work is going on behind the scenes, we’re asking lots of questions and hopefully we’ll have some additions over the next few weeks.

“In the meantime I’m pretty confident this team is ready to start showing it’s teeth and keep the points total rolling on.”

Rovers’ attacking options are likely to be boosted this afternoon by the return of Danny Graham.

The 33-year-old missed the FA Cup defeat at Birmingham City through illness but has trained this week to push his claims for involvement in today’s derby.

Mowbray is also hopeful of being able to call upon Ryan Nyambe, Lewis Holtby and Corry Evans after their recent injury absences.