JAY Spearing’s future will be decided in the summer after Wanderers allowed their skipper to join local rivals Blackburn Rovers on loan yesterday.

The midfielder, who cost the Whites £1.5million from Liverpool in August 2013, has two years left on his contract.

But while Neil Lennon will potentially be able to bring in two more players with the wages he saves in loaning Spearing out to Ewood Park, he denied his exit necessarily means the end of his Wanderers career.

“We can assess that at the end of the season,” he told The Bolton News. “We are not unhappy with him but he has found it difficult the way we like to play.

“Neil Danns, Darren Pratley and Josh Vela have been sensational plus we have Mark Davies to come back, who will play.

“We also want to have a look at Tim Ream in that position going forward.

“We have enough options to afford to let Jay go for now.”

Lennon confirmed Mark Davies was making encouraging progress in his return from a knee injury and could be back in action by March.

Spearing trained with Rovers yesterday morning but speaking before the deal was ratified by either club, Lennon admitted it was the right time for the 26-year-old to seek regular football elsewhere.

“If the deal is agreed it frees up some wages for positions where we need some strength,” he said. “But I’ll go on record and say Jay never gave us one day trouble. If he does go he goes with our blessing.

“But he wasn't playing and it is important for him to get out and play some games at this stage in his career.”

Lennon revealed that Craig Davies could be back for Wednesday’s FA Cup replay against Liverpool but that Emile Heskey would definitely miss out on facing his old club again.

“Craig was out yesterday but he felt a little ginger on it when he was at full pelt,” he said. “We hope with a few days recovery he could be in contention for Liverpool.

“Emile's going to be a couple more weeks. Then there's the longer term ones. “We're hoping March for Mark Davies and Max is pre-season. We'll have more of an idea on Adam today but it's a blow, to him and us.”