The Blackburn Rovers players jet off to mainland Europe this Saturday for a training camp in Austria.

A week of training and exercise in hot and humid conditions awaits the 24-man squad.

New signings Gäel Givet and Steven Nzonzi are both included in the squad, whilst Elrio van Heerden and Lars Jacobsen will join up with their new team-mates directly in Austria.

The good news for Rovers supporters is that Ryan Nelsen, David Dunn, Brett Emerton and Steven Reid are all in the travelling party. Nelsen missed the end of the season, and the Confederations Cup, with a torn calf muscle, whilst the long-term absentees Dunn, Emerton and Reid are all making good progress in their bid to return to full fitness.

Frank Fielding, Alan Judge and Paul Gallagher are all back from their respective loan spells, whilst youngsters Jake Kean, Gavin Gunning, Aaron Doran and Alex Marrow are included with the first team pre-season programme for the first time.

Those not involved are Paul Robinson, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Martin Olsson who get extra time off due to being involved on international duty last month, Mark Bunn stays behind as he is due to become a father, whilst Jason Brown is receiving treatment on an injury and won't travel.

The squad in full: Fielding, Kean, Givet, Gunning, Khizanishvili, Samba, Warnock, Marrow, Doran, Judge, Diouf, Gallagher, McCarthy, Roberts, Dunn, Emerton, Reid, Andrews, Grella, Treacy, Nelsen, Nzonzi, van Heerden, Jacobsen.