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Tony Mowbray gives honest assessment of Ben Brereton ahead of reported £7m Blackburn Rovers switch

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Blackburn Rovers are reportedly set to sign Ben Brereton from Nottingham Forest.

Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray stands on the touchline during the Sky Bet Championship match between Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers at the Liberty Stadium on October 23, 2018 in...

Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray believes Ben Brereton isn’t ready to establish himself as a first-team regular despite the club being set to sign him permanently from Nottingham Forest, Lancashire Telegraph reports.

“He’s a young lad who’s had very little opportunities because I don’t think he’s ready to impact our team at the moment. I don’t see how he gets in the team with (Danny) Graham and (Bradley) Dack and then we’ve been playing (Harrison) Reed and (Craig) Conway,” Mowbray explained.

According to the Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn are set to make Brereton’s loan move from Forest permanent next month for a fee in the region of £7 million.

Brereton made 25 Championship starts for Forest last season, scoring five goals and grabbing two assists.

Many at the City Ground tipped him to become a mainstay in the Reds’ line-up over the coming years, yet manager Aitor Karanka seemingly had different ideas as he was happy to move out on loan last summer.

Lewis Grabban now leads the line at Nottingham Forest, topping the league’s scoring charts with 14 goals, while Brereton’s switch to Ewood Park probably hasn’t gone as he would have expected.

Blackburn Rovers' Ben Brereton during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between AFC Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers at Vitality Stadium on September 25, 2018 in Bournemouth, England.

The 19-year-old has yet to make a league start for Rovers, with manager Tony Mowbray putting him firmly behind the likes of Danny Graham, Bradley Dack, Adam Armstrong and Craig Conway in the pecking order.

It begs the question why Blackburn are so eager to sign a player for a big fee if the player isn’t ready for regular first team action, yet Mowbray has told reporters in the past how he is positive that Brereton will become a star player.

Ben Brereton of Blackburn Rovers battles for the ball with Adam Smith of AFC Bournemouth during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between AFC Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers at Vitality...