Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes has revealed he allowed Robbie Savage to join Derby County last month knowing that Steven Reid would be returning from long-term injury.

"I was always mindful that we needed Steven back and I needed to be happy in the knowledge that he was going to be fit and well, and able to sustain his play from now until the end of the season," Hughes told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

"Obviously, we are not there yet but certainly that was in my thinking.

"The decision to let Robbie go wasn't easy because you have to make a call on occasions.

"But maybe Robbie understood that if Steven was fit, he was more likely to play ahead of him, so perhaps that was in his mind as well."