BLACKBURN Rovers insist the players they have loaned out for the rest of the season still have futures at the club.

Jonathon Douglas, Paul Gallagher, Jay McEveley and Matt Derbyshire were offloaded to Championship sides before the transfer window closed on Wednesday.

But Blackburn haven't given the clubs the option to make the moves permanent when their loans expire.

This is in contrast to the players that Rovers have taken on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

They will have the first option to buy goalkeeper Richard Lee from Watford and Georgian defender Zurab from Rangers when their years are up.

But chairman John Williams says Rovers were keen to avoid their players going on similar deals.

He said: "We don't want to lose sight of the young players we have let out on loan.

"We never wanted the clubs they've gone to to have options to buy them, like we have with the lads we have brought in.

"It's extremely important to the club that the players we loan out all gain from the experience."

Gallagher and Douglas have already featured for Stoke and Leeds respectively, while McEveley has a chance to help solve Ipswich's defensive problems and Derbyshire will try to add a much-needed boost to Plymouth's forward line.

Williams said: "They're not quite getting on the bench here but they are all at a very good age.

"Matt Derbyshire is only 19 but people like Jay McEveley, Paul Gallagher and Jonathon Douglas need to be playing first team football.

"They will improve more in somebody's first team than they will in our reserves and they've gone to good Championship clubs."

And Williams also revealed his satisfaction at the business Blackburn have done in the summer window.

He added: "Look at the ages of the players - Kuqi 28, Bellamy 26, Zurab 23, Lee 22 and Bentley 21.

"It's about going forward. You need experience as well but it's about getting that balance."