Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has admitted that he is considering a January loan move away from the club for winger Harry Chapman.

The former Middlesbrough man first joined Rovers on-loan from 'Boro during Blackburn's League One promotion-winning campaign in 2017/18, where despite being restricted to just 13 appearances in all competitions by injury, Chapman established himself as something of a fans favourite.

But since returning to Ewood Park on a permanent basis in January 2019, things haven't exactly gone to plan for Chapman.

During his time as an official Rovers player, the 22-year-old has made just three appearances in all competitions - none of which have been in the starting lineup - instead becoming a regular feature for the clubs Under 23s side.

So should Rovers be considering a sending Chapman on loan elsewhere in January?

Here, we look at three things they must consider before making any decision on the winger's future.

Will they need him?

One thing worth considering for Blackburn here is that there attack has not entirely been firing on all cylinders this year.

So far this season, Rovers have scored just 20 goals in 16 league games, with Mowbray's side often seemingly struggling to create many chances in games, something which has cost them with the goals that they have been conceding at the back.

Allowing a winger such as Chapman to leave could therefore be a risk, considering he has shown during his brief appearances for the club that he has the pace to get in behind opposition defences and potentially create opportunities for teammates, which could be useful for Rovers as they go in search of a greater attacking threat.

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Is he going to get game time?

If he is going to leave on-loan, then Blackburn will surely want Chapman to be playing regular football, in order to help further develop his confidence and ability.

If he isn't, then it would be better for him to remain with Rovers and at least continue to train with the tactics employed by Mowbray in matches on a weekly basis.

Guaranteeing that game time however, is unlikely to be easy, especially in January when the tone has already been set for the season.

Sending to him to a team in the higher echelons of League One or Two may make it difficult for Chapman to break into the starting XI, since they are not going to want to change a winning formula.

While sending him to a side battling relegation is unlikely to help his confidence or mentality, if he finds himself becoming used to the disappointment of losing week in week out, meaning a move away is not certain to be beneficial for the player or Rovers.

How will leaving affect him?

Having left Middlesbrough after just four appearances and three loans - including that one at Blackburn - during his time at the Riverside Stadium, Chapman will have undoubtedly been hoping for a more regular run of senior football following his permanent return to Ewood Park.

But having not got that so far, you do wonder just what Blackburn sending him out for another loan could do to his confidence.

If he was to make the temporary switch elsewhere, it will surely have a demoralising effect on him, given it will appear as though he has gone backwards since his previous spell at Blackburn, when he was a reliable member of the matchday squad at the very least.

You feel therefore that Chapman does at least deserve the opportunity to prove himself in the first-team before a decision on a loan move is made, otherwise, he may start to feel as though he is not being given a fair chance at the club by Mowbray and co.