Former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has taken over the reigns at Derby County, and may be tempted to make a move for former Rams target Lukas Kutkiewicz in the summer.
Birmingham’s manager Gary Rowett
Despite the club going from 20th all the way to the play-off places, Derby County have suffered an awful slump over the latter stages of this season, and have now moved to sack manager Steve McClaren for a second time.
Former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett, who was sacked and replaced with Gianfranco Zola at the end of last year much to the anger of Birmingham fans, has now taken over the reigns at Pride Park, with a remit to conduct a large overhaul of the squad in the summer.
With new bodies needed at Pride Park, after yet another poor season, Gary Rowett is likely to be already drawing together a list of potential new signings, and one player who might be near the top of that list is Birmingham City striker Lukas Jutkiewicz.
The forward, who joined Birmingham City permanently just after Rowett left after a successful loan spell, and has scored 12 goals so far for the Blues.
Birmingham City’s Lucas Jutkiewicz in action with Burton’s Jon McLaughlin
Jutkiewicz’s style of play, which is as a hold-up play striker, good in the air and assertive in the tackle, is the kind of forward Derby County have been used to seeing over the last few years under a number of managers. For plenty of time, that striker has been Chris Martin, who has spent the season on loan at Fulham after not being wanted by former boss, Nigel Pearson.
This would not be the first time Derby have reportedly been interested in the forward either. As recently as November, the Rams were reported to be trying to tempt Jutkiewicz to join them, according to the Birmingham Mail; seeing the striker as the perfect replacement/back-up to Chris Martin.
Lukas Jutkiewicz of Birmingham City (C) celebrates
With Rowett a big fan of the forward, and his new side needing some more firepower this summer, the former Burnley and Bolton Wanderers forward Lukas Jutkiewicz might be just the man Derby need.
But what do you think Rams fans? Would you like to see Lukas Jutkiewicz in a Derby shirt? Or should the club turn its focus elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Birmingham’s David Davis and Lukas Jutkiewicz in action with Brighton’s Dale Stephens
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