Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers are set to battle it out with Derby County for Blackpool attacker CJ Hamilton, according to Football Insider.
The Lancashire side opted to trigger the one-year extension in the winger’s contract last summer, although fresh terms have yet to be agreed and he would be free to leave Bloomfield Road at the end of the season as things stand.
Having signed from Mansfield Town in 2020, the winger has become a hit for the Seasiders and has once again played a starring role this season in League One following their relegation from the Championship in May.
He has already bettered his goal contributions from the previous campaign, scoring one goal whilst providing six assists as Blackpool sit in eighth position, with only goal difference keeping them out of the play-off places.
It is this form which has caught the eye of a number of potential suitors, with Football Insider claiming that QPR and Huddersfield are amongst the names from the second tier who would be interested in acquiring his services in January. Alongside Derby, it is said that Blackpool are gearing up for offers in the New Year and they could be willing to accept in order to alleviate the risk of losing the former Sheffield United youngster for free.
Both of the mentioned Championship teams are embroiled in a relegation battle and are on the lookout for firepower in order to kickstart their campaign. Although Hamilton isn’t known for his goalscoring attributes, he is a player capable of offering something different going forward, something both clubs are in dire need of.
On the flip side, Derby are aiming for promotion this season and sit level on points with their League One rivals. Targeting the one-time Republic of Ireland international would strengthen their squad whilst also weakening a team challenging for a play-off spot themselves.
Hamilton has started all of Blackpool’s 18 league fixtures so far this season and is likely to retain his place when they travel to the undefeated league leaders Portsmouth on Saturday.
Writer’s View
It’s that time of the season when rumours begin to surface surrounding players who are in the final months of their contract. There is no doubt going to be interest in Hamilton, who is a player capable of holding his own in the Championship and League One.
These links are easy to make and there is likely to be some truth to it, although it could be that his agent is attempting to speed up any potential contract negotiations. Blackpool are unlikely to sanction an exit to a fellow promotion contender in Derby County, but they may be willing to accept a bid if a club in the division above comes knocking.
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