Blackburn Rovers will assess the progress of Dilan Markanday with the possibility of recalling him from Chesterfield in the January transfer window.

The 23-year-old joined the Spireites on a season-long loan in the summer. Although it wasn't stated, there is an option for Rovers to bring him back to Ewood Park in January.

Markanday has scored five goals and registered two assists in 13 League Two matches. He has looked like one of the star players at the level and that raises questions as to whether he could be of use to Rovers' first-team. The club opted not to give him permission to play for Chesterfield in the first round of the FA Cup, which would cup tie him.

Eustace has been very impressed by his progress but insisted no decision has been made on a potential January recall. Equally, he admitted that the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster's development has been badly managed in recent seasons.

"Possibly," Eustace said when asked if Markanday could return in the January transfer window.

"January is when the FA Cup is around again so we will monitor that. He has done amazingly well and that is why we sent him there.

"Dilan is a fantastic young, exciting player. I don't think he's been developed properly over the last few years in terms of his game time.

"It was important he went out and got game time. We set him the challenge to go out and star at that level. He is doing that at the moment.

"It was very important that Dilan went out, he is doing terrifically well now and we hope he comes back to make a difference.

"We will assess that in January going forward and see if we think that he can come back and make a difference for us."

Blackburn have been particularly proactive with sending young players on loan this season. Stuart Jones has taken on a new role in the Academy working with players aged 17-21 to plot their progress.

Eustace has been working closely to ensure players are not stunted in their development. In the case of Markanday and Jake Garrett, both could have stayed but might have been limited to substitute appearances and a handful of starts.

But the Rovers head coach is a firm believer that there is no better test than playing regular senior football. That is why he has pushed for more loans this summer to ensure Blackburn's young players can return to make a serious impact on the first-team.

"I think the only way for players to develop is playing men's football and experience it in front of fans," he explained.

"You have to play in competitive leagues against people who are competing for their living. It's not the be-all and end-all but it's your livelihood and you have to make sure people are watching you, you're improving and expressing yourself.

"You have to show you're good enough to be playing as a professional. Over the last few years, if you play for the 23s and you're going through the motions, playing well but not getting minutes for the first-team that can hamper your development.

"Then at 23, 24, you've played 20, 30 first-team games, coming off the bench and there is nowhere for you to go.

"I don't want these players to be coming off the bench, I want them to start. We need players here who can make a difference for Blackburn from minute one.

"The players that go on loan have done that to go out and come back ready to make a big difference in our first-team environment."

In the case of Garrett and fellow loanee Connor O'Riordan, their game time has been limited lately. Eustace admitted they will 'look at' the situations for both with Bristol Rovers and Cambridge United, respectively, in the New Year.