When it comes to young talents in the Championship, few shine brighter than £6.8million-rated Derby County midfielder Will Hughes.

He's one of the most hotly-tipped youngsters we've seen at this level for years but if he really wants to make it at the top, his time to shine has to come now or it might be too late.

Over the past couple of years, Hughes has been linked with everyone from Barcelona to Manchester United but after a mixed season this time-out and a campaign that was stilted by injury last year, he's got a little bit of making up to do.

He started with an exemplary captains performance for the England U21's this week as they comfortably overcame Randers in Denmark. In a comprehensive 4-0 victory, Hughes was single-handedly picked out for a superb performance which showed once again what he can do when given the chance.

He hasn't started a game for Derby in four matches, which for a player who needs consistent playing time, is a worry. But in Gary Rowett, the Rams have a manager who is more than happy to put his faith in the young players at clubs, as we've seen during his time at Burton and Birmingham.

But Hughes needs to do more than just impress- he needs to stand out. We've seen the likes of Anthony Knockaert and Chris Wood steal all the plaudits for their performances this season and it's what we need to start seeing from Hughes too.

There's no reason why the £6.8million-rated midfielder shouldn't be amongst the nominees for Championship player of the season because he really is that good- he just needs to start showing it week-in, week-out.

But there's little doubt if Rowett can unlock what has been missing at club level for a good few months now, Derby have every chance of challenging at the top of the league next season.

It's safe to say Hughes really does hold the key for the Rams.