Shane Duffy to make pre-season return

Blackburn Rovers manager Gary Bowyer has confirmed that Shane Duffy will be fit enough to take part in pre-season training.

The defender has not played since late February because of a knee injury.

However, the 23-year-old will have fully recovered by the time that the Blackburn players report back for training this summer.

"Shane is very good, he's progressed ever so well. He's done ever so well in his recovery and in his rehab and he'll be good to go in pre-season," the Lancashire Evening Telegraph quotes Bowyer as saying.

Duffy, who has been capped once by the Republic of Ireland, joined Rovers from Everton in September 2014.