By Joe Jones
Gary Rowett has revealed that Derby County were eager to keep Mason Bennett at the club and also considered sending him to Burton Albion but felt Notts County were able to give him "a big 17 games".
The 21-year-old came close to breaking in the Rams first team this term but has been hindered by injury, leading to the Championship club sending him out on loan, with the Magpies recruiting the player on deadline day.
"Mason was one we felt we could keep around for the last three months of the season and may be he'd get two or three appearances, but what would we learn about him?" Rowett told the Derby Telegraph.
"He has had a really good season in terms of training. He has been really sharp apart from his injury, and so he has made good progress this season but we will only see that progress if Mason goes out and plays games.
"We had interest from Burton Albion as well, but we just felt and I think the player just felt that he wanted to go somewhere where he had a chance of playing 17 games and that is what he is going to do at Notts County. He needs that.
"It is a big 17 games for him because the reality of the situation is if he does really well in those games then we can probably look at him in a slightly different light because we can see what he can do," Rowett added.
"If he doesn't do well, then everybody has to have a good think about whether he can afford a season next season where he is a bit-part player. So it is a good move for him.
"We have got four or five players who can play in those wide areas and so we didn't think there was any great need to deny Mason that opportunity to go out on loan."
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