Post by Natty on May 8, 2009 7:01:10 GMT -1
Derby County have their sights on Norwich City’s right winger Lee Croft.
The 23-year-old is out of contract at Carrow Road and the Rams are believed to have held talks with the player.
Manager Nigel Clough is looking to bring in up to six new faces for next season.
Strengthening the defence is a priority and the Rams are interested in signing Burton Albion centre-half Jake Buxton and Crewe right-back John Brayford, who also played for Clough at Burton.
A right-sided midfielder/winger is also high on Clough’s wish-list and Croft seems to fit the bill.
Norwich have been relegated to League One but Croft was the fans’ player of the year.
He made 44 appearances this season and his record for the Canaries is 131 games and nine goals since arriving in July 2006 in a £600,000 deal from Manchester City, where the Wigan-born player started his career.
He joined City as a 12-year-old schoolboy and represented England at every youth level up to under-20.
The first of his 32 games for City was against Bolton Wanderers in March 2005, Kevin Keegan’s final game as manager.
Right wing has been a problem position for Derby this season.
A number of players have been tried there, including Giles Barnes, Nacer Barazite, Mile Sterjovski, Barry Bannan and Luke Varney.
Barnes is on loan at Fulham and Barazite and Bannan are to return to their clubs, Arsenal and Aston Villa, respectively.
Varney is a striker who can play wide and Sterjovski is thought to be among the list of players available for transfer.
Josh O’Keefe, who has been training with Derby for the past two months, will not be joining the club.
The 20-year-old Blackburn Rovers midfielder has appeared for the Rams’ reserves and played in Tuesday’s benefit match for Spencer Prior at Southend.
“We have had a chat with Josh and his dad. I know his dad very well, and we just feel Josh would be better suited to go and get a club in League One or League Two and go and play a full season for somebody rather than be on the fringes here,” said Rams manager Nigel Clough.
"Josh is 20, and like quite a few of our lads, he needs to go and play 30 or 40 games in a season.
“He has impressed us with his attitude, absolutely brilliant. He has been a pleasure to work with.”
O’Keefe is the son of ex-Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Vince O’Keefe.
He came up through the Academy at Blackburn but has not made a first-team appearance.
also ellington will be goin bak to watford.
The 23-year-old is out of contract at Carrow Road and the Rams are believed to have held talks with the player.
Manager Nigel Clough is looking to bring in up to six new faces for next season.
Strengthening the defence is a priority and the Rams are interested in signing Burton Albion centre-half Jake Buxton and Crewe right-back John Brayford, who also played for Clough at Burton.
A right-sided midfielder/winger is also high on Clough’s wish-list and Croft seems to fit the bill.
Norwich have been relegated to League One but Croft was the fans’ player of the year.
He made 44 appearances this season and his record for the Canaries is 131 games and nine goals since arriving in July 2006 in a £600,000 deal from Manchester City, where the Wigan-born player started his career.
He joined City as a 12-year-old schoolboy and represented England at every youth level up to under-20.
The first of his 32 games for City was against Bolton Wanderers in March 2005, Kevin Keegan’s final game as manager.
Right wing has been a problem position for Derby this season.
A number of players have been tried there, including Giles Barnes, Nacer Barazite, Mile Sterjovski, Barry Bannan and Luke Varney.
Barnes is on loan at Fulham and Barazite and Bannan are to return to their clubs, Arsenal and Aston Villa, respectively.
Varney is a striker who can play wide and Sterjovski is thought to be among the list of players available for transfer.
Josh O’Keefe, who has been training with Derby for the past two months, will not be joining the club.
The 20-year-old Blackburn Rovers midfielder has appeared for the Rams’ reserves and played in Tuesday’s benefit match for Spencer Prior at Southend.
“We have had a chat with Josh and his dad. I know his dad very well, and we just feel Josh would be better suited to go and get a club in League One or League Two and go and play a full season for somebody rather than be on the fringes here,” said Rams manager Nigel Clough.
"Josh is 20, and like quite a few of our lads, he needs to go and play 30 or 40 games in a season.
“He has impressed us with his attitude, absolutely brilliant. He has been a pleasure to work with.”
O’Keefe is the son of ex-Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Vince O’Keefe.
He came up through the Academy at Blackburn but has not made a first-team appearance.
also ellington will be goin bak to watford.
that was waste of £2m
