The Middlesbrough youngster joins Derby County on loan but does this mean Nottingham Forest’s captain will not be making the short move to the iPro Stadium?
Derby County have added another midfielder to their squad already this month, the club’s official website reports, but what impact could that have on their alleged pursuit of Henri Lansbury?
Belgian under-21 international Julien de Sart came off the bench just twice in the Championship for Middlesbrough last season but returns for another stab at the second tier with a Derby side right in the mix for the play-offs.
The midfielder will add extra options to an already powerful Rams midfield in a move that looks beneficial for all parties. De Sart gets an opportunity to prove himself in English football, Derby boss Steve McClaren receives more quality in reserve while Middlesbrough can expect the talented ball-player to return to the Riverside with greater experience of the local game.
However, what impact this has on their pursuit of Lansbury, the captain of East Midlands enemies Nottingham Forest, remains to be seen.
The BBC reported that Forest had rejected an initial £2.5 million offer from the Rams for their influential midfielder and, although the former Arsenal youngster is out of contract at the end of the season, it appears unlikely that they would sanction a deal to their arch rivals.
Furthermore, Championship rivals Aston Villa have already tabled a larger bid for Lansbury’s services, £3 million according to the Birmingham Mail, with Scottish champions Celtic and Premier League side Watford also offering attractive propositions.
Therefore, it could be argued that the iPro is the least likely destination if Lansbury does indeed depart this month, suggesting that the signing of de Sart is something of a contingency plan.
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