One Middlesbrough striker will reportedly be arriving at Derby County in January – but not the one many expected.
If you were already impressed at the progress made by Derby County since Steve McClaren returned to the iPro in October, consider this; only two sides in the Championship have scored fewer than the Rams this season. Even Rotherham United, 12 points adrift at the bottom, have found the net once more than Derby. McClaren the miracle worker.
Therefore, it surprised precisely no one to learn that a new centre forward was at the top of the veteran manager’s winter wishlist. But, with a deal apparently done and dusted, have Derby just secured the signature of a player who can take them into the play-offs?
After all, David Nugent, who The Sun claim will be dotting the I’s on a £3 million from Middlesbrough sooner rather than later, has history when it comes to spearheading a promotion push, helping his current employers to the Premier League last season while repeating the trick with Leicester in 2014.
He comes a lot cheaper than reported alternative Jordan Rhodes, who the Daily Mail claim was valued at up to £10 by Boro. Many will accuse Derby of taking the cheap option, with the Scotland international’s guarantee of goals in the second tier apparently justifying his price tag.
However, as Derby have discovered with Darren Bent, it’s not enough to simply score goals at the iPro. In the club’s preferred 4-3-3 system, hold-up play, intelligent movement and hard work outside the box is as valuable as clinical finishing within it. Therefore, the well-rounded Nugent appears a much better fit than the predatory poacher Rhodes.
Ironically, Chris Martin, the prolific striker Derby allowed to leave on loan to Fulham on Deadline Day, could come in rather handy at the moment but, at just £3 million, Nugent is not a bad alternative.
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