What does Derby County’s £1.5m Cameron Jerome move say about their Premier League ambitions?

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Cameron Jerome is reportedly due for a Derby County medical on Tuesday after a £1.5m fee was agreed with Norwich City.

Derby County have agreed a £1.5m deal to sign Cameron Jerome from Norwich City, according to Sky Sports.

Sky Sports adds that the 31-year-old striker is expected to undergo a medical in Derby on Tuesday afternoon.

Jerome’s arrival could pave the way for Chris Martin to leave Pride Park, with Sky Sports reporting that there is interest from Leeds United in taking the Scotland international on loan for the second half of the season.

In 138 appearances for Norwich, Jerome scored 42 goals although only one of those has come this campaign.

With Matej Vydra and Sam Winnall in fine goalscoring form and David Nugent providing decent support, Jerome does not seem to be a necessary signing as the second-place Rams aim to return to the Premier League.

While he has a good record in the Championship, the former Birmingham City and Stoke City forward has previously found himself out of his depth in the top flight, with 32 goals across seven seasons at four different clubs.

Nugent is another striker who has struggled to make the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, so Derby’s forward line will have it all to prove if they are to win promotion back to the big time after 10 years.

Jerome is unlikely to help that potential transition to the top flight. He is a signing for the Championship, not for the Premier League which makes you question why Gary Rowett is showing such little ambition with his targets.

Even more curiously, the Derby manager already had enough forwards to wait until the summer and assess his options then, when a greater choice of striker, and also a better quality, would surely be available to him.