Filip Benkovic hasn’t played a Premier League game for Leicester City all season and a loan spell at Derby County would surely help his development.
Derby County are hoping to reinforce their ailing front line before the end of the month but, according to the Derby Telegraph, their number one transfer target remains £13 million Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic.
Despite making impressive progress in recent weeks, inspired no doubt by the prowling presence of Wayne Rooney in the centre of the park, Rams boss Phillip Cocu is under no illusions that new additions are a must.
Only one team in the Championship have scored fewer goals than Derby this season (28 in 27 games) and there are problems at the other end of the pitch too.
The acrimonious departure of club captain Richard Keogh in the autumn left the East Midland giants one centre-back short and, according to the Telegraph, The Rams have made signing a replacement their top priority.
Croatian U21 international Benkovic is Derby’s most wanted, it is claimed, with the highly-rated youngster expected to leave the King Power Stadium on loan over the next two weeks.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has already admitted that the £13 million former Dinamo Zagreb stopper is free to go on a temporary basis, having failed to make a Premier League appearance all season (Mercury).
Benkovic is yet to prove himself in English football but a loan spell at Celtic 12 months ago should give Derby hope that he could galvanise an inconsistent defence. Benkovic was a revelation north of the border and ended the season with a Scottish Premiership winners’ medal around his neck.
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