The Middlesbrough striker arrives at Derby County with one aim – to lead The Rams to promotion.
It doesn’t take more than a quick glance at the Championship table to realise that Derby County need a goalscorer. The fact that Steve McClaren has guided them to seventh, two points off the play-off positions, despite a tally of 24 goals in 25 games is nothing short of a managerial miracle.
Though, unsurprisingly, he wants to make life a little less difficult for the perennial promotion favourites in the second half of the campaign.
According to the Derby Telegraph, The Rams have identified a £2 million-rated 31-year-old with just 40 minutes of league action to his name this season as the man who can help them close the gap on the top six.
Why? Because David Nugent has rather impressive second tier pedigree, as McClaren himself admits.
“He [Nugent] is a proven goalscorer at Championship level and he also has a great deal of experience as well to bring to the table,” the veteran coach told the Derby Telegraph.
“David has a track record of scoring important goals as well and we’re pleased to add him to the attacking talent that we already have.”
He’s not wrong. Nugent’s wily experience and reliable goal-poaching has spearheaded two successful promotion bids in the last three seasons, netting 20 times for Leicester in their title-winning 2013/14 campaign while adding another eight last time out to secure Middlesbrough’s top flight return.
The odds of McClaren finally seizing promotion at the iPro on the third attempt have just been shortened.
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