Derby County have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of a striker target as he closes in on a move to Birmingham City.
Derby County have kickstarted their summer transfer business following promotion to the Championship.
The Rams announced the arrival of Ben Osborn on Friday, with the 29-year-old penning a two-year contract at Pride Park.
Supporters are now hoping the signing of Osborn will open the floodgates for further signings as Paul Warne closes in on two striker acquisitions.
Kayden Jackson is reportedly close to joining Derby after being released by Ipswich Town while Jerry Yates is on the verge of joining on loan from Swansea City.
That would fill their void in the forward position, although there is arguably someone better who Warne has just missed out on.
Derby County target Alfie May is closing in on a move to Birmingham
Following their promotion to the second tier, Derby were considering a move for ‘wonderful’ Charlton Athletic striker Alfie May.
The 30-year-old was fresh from bagging 27 goals in all competitions for the Addicks and such form had alerted clubs to his signature, including Stoke City and Huddersfield Town.
Whilst May would have been an upgrade on their current striking options, James Collins and Conor Washington, Derby never advanced in their interest and it has now been reported that Birmingham are closing in on the move.
The Blues have made a real statement following their relegation to League One and with Tom Brady at the helm, they’re able to attract players arguably capable of playing in the second tier.
Mirror journalist Neil Moxley claims Birmingham have won the race for his signature, and he’s been on their radar for a while.
Derby County need a proven Championship striker
Derby are on the verge of landing two strikers to compete with Collins and Washington, although neither guarantees prolificacy in the Championship.
Jackson – who they are looking to sign on a free transfer – has failed to score more than three goals in a single campaign since the 2019/20 season, in which he bagged 11 for Ipswich in League One.
That won’t fill supporters with confidence that he can be a clinical source of goals for the Rams, and neither will Yates.
Derby are close to signing the 27-year-old on loan from Swansea and although he netted eight times in the second tier last term, he’s never been the most clinical striker.
Yates boasts a record of 31 goals in 152 Championship appearances, which tells of a striker who often struggles to put the ball in the back of the net.
It’s great that Derby are close to signing two strikers however, it’s just a question of whether they can fire in the goals to keep them up.
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