DAVID Dunn believes Blackburn Rovers could soon have the complete midfielder on their hands if Jason Lowe continues his rapid improvement.

No-one has flourished more under Rovers boss Gary Bowyer this season than midfielder Lowe.

The 22-year-old has won the man-of-the-match award at each of Rovers’ last three home games, the final one of which he capped with the winner against Middlesbrough.

It was Lowe’s first goal for the club after 96 matches of trying.

Dunn was delighted for the former England Under 21 man – but not surprised.

“I’ve been telling my granddad and a few of my mates to put him on first goalscorer for a couple of weeks”, said Great Harwood-born Dunn, who has scored 56 goals for boyhood club Rovers.

“Hopefully he can produce a little bit more now as goals are the one thing that he has to get into his game in my opinion.

“He’s a real fit lad, a box-to-box player, and he’s one of the first people I’d have on my team-sheet.

“So if he can get half a dozen goals, or even 10 seeing as we play 46 league games, then we’ll certainly have a top midfielder on our books.”

Lowe last month signed a contract extension with Rovers that will tie him to the club until 2017.

At the time Bowyer said it was not only reward for his performances but to also ward off interest from potential suitors.

“I’m sure Premier League clubs will be looking at him because he can play a number of positions,” said Dunn.

“He’s at home in the centre of midfield but as you saw at Wigan and against Middlesbrough, he quite easily fits in at centre-half – and I think he’s a top player at right-back myself.

“So it wouldn’t surprise me if Premier League clubs are watching his progress.

“He’s a shining light to any up-and-coming footballer to look at because of the dedication he’s got.”

Dunn and Lowe were unable to stop Rovers from crashing to their biggest defeat of the season at Brighton last time out.

It was a defeat that left Bowyer’s side 13th, five points off the play-offs, and 15 behind surprise leaders and bitter rivals Burnley.

“I think it’s been okay,” said Dunn about Rovers’ current campaign.

“But I tend not to look at the league table until around January as I bet my bottom dollar that there are a couple of teams out there who will put a real good run together.

“So I wouldn’t look too much at the league table – and certainly not at the minute as I don’t like to see who’s on top!”

Meanwhile, Dunn believes Rovers are progressing well under Bowyer’s guidance.

The 42-year-old helped Rovers survive a second successive relegation and since being handed the position on a permanent basis in May, is credited with bringing an on-the-field stability that was desperately lacking last season.

And for that, according to Dunn, Bowyer deserves praise.

“Gary has come in and done a fantastic job,” said Dunn, whose return from injury was one of the bright spots of last Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion.

“Not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well.

“The owners have given him a little bit of time and in my opinion he needs to be given a real amount of time to build his squad – because it is not easy with the amount of players that have come and gone.

“I’m sure it’s been very difficult for the manager, in his first job.

“But I think the way he has handled it, both on and off the pitch, has been first class.

“It’s good to go into training with a good atmosphere around the place.

“The key thing for me is the stability we have around the place at the minute.”

What Rovers also have under Bowyer is youth.

And Dunn believes it is ‘fitting’ that many of the players Bowyer brought through in his days as the club’s academy and reserve team boss are now key members of his senior side.

“He’s been here as long as anyone so he knows the ins and outs and it’s just fitting that the lads he’s worked with for the last few years have also so seemed to come through,” said Dunn who, at 33, is one of the older heads in the dressing room.

“The likes of Grant Hanley, Adam Henley and Jason Lowe are coming to the fore in the first team.

“And if they’re going to play for anyone and put in as much hard work as they can, it’s going to be for the manager.”