Derby County and Nottingham Forest managers are both huge fans of Rangers’ Jon Toral, who is on loan from Arsenal.
Jon Toral of Arsenal (L) in action with Andreas Christensen of Chelsea
Derby County and Nottingham Forest both moved to make new managerial appointments earlier today, bringing in Gary Rowett and Mark Warburton ahead of this weekend’s East Midlands’ derby.
Rowett and Warburton share a few things in common. Both have managed in the Championship before, both feel wronged by their dismissals from clubs earlier this season, and they each share an admiration of Jon Toral.
Former Barcelona youngster Toral is under contract to Arsenal but on loan at Rangers, where Warburton signed him one month before his exit from Glasgow.
Brentford’s Jon Toral celebrates scoring their fourth goal and completing his hat trick
It was the second time Warburton had signed the Spaniard, bringing him on loan to Brentford in 2014/15, and he spoke highly of him in January.
He told Rangers TV: “A very, very talented player, a very respectful player, an articulate individual so [I am] delighted to work with him.”
A move to bring him to Nottingham Forest could be shrewd, but expect Derby manager Rowett to provide opposition.
Birmingham City’s Jon Toral is challenged by Preston North End’s Paul Huntington
Toral spent the 2015/16 season playing on loan under Rowett at Birmingham City, and it was the most successful of his career to date.
He scored eight goals in the Championship and established himself as a starter. Rowett was even planning to re-sign him this past January for Birmingham, the Scottish Herald reported, before his untimely sacking a month before the transfer window opened, paving the way for Toral to link up with Warburton instead, but he also tried to line him up for another job too – possibly Nottingham Forest.
He was quoted at the time: “I actually spoke to Jon a couple of days ago and he told me there was a good chance he might be joining Rangers, and I said to him, “can’t you hang on a couple of weeks until I get another job?”
Rowett has had to wait longer than expected to land a new gig, but now at Derby County it appears probably he will be battling to with Toral again in the summer, such is his admiration of the player.
The trouble is, Mark Warburton will be attempting to do exactly the same.
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