One of the running stories in the lead-up to deadline day has been Derby County’s pursuit of a new striker.
Derby have already bolstered their attacking options this window by bringing in Corey Blackett-Taylor on a deal from Charlton Athletic, however, a new number nine could be pivotal for them in their fight for promotion.
Their current centre-forward options are looking rather thin on the ground. James Collins is their only currently available player that is natural in that role, with both Martyn Waghorn and Connor Washington both out injured.
Adding depth to this position with the experience of either Smith or Gregory could be exactly what Warne needs from his side as the promotion race gets closer and closer.
The Sheffield Star are now reporting that a move for the latter is looking more likely, but there is still work to be done. The striker seems to be out of Danny Rohl’s plans for the second half of the season but Wednesday’s owner, Dejphon Chansiri, will want to ensure that the club get a good deal for the forward.
The former-Milwall man will be no stranger to the Rams as he spent the second half of the 2020-21 season with the side.
It seems likely that Derby will be making one final push for the signature of the experienced man but with the deadline at 11pm tonight, this one could go down to the wire.
Writer’s View
Warne is going to want to make sure that his side are truly stocked in all areas of the pitch ahead of a promotion fight between now and the summer. Adding Gregory into that looks to be smart business.
The only downside however is Gregory’s age. Derby already have one of the older squads in League One, and if they fail to make the move up the pyramid this year, their lack of investment in youth could come back to haunt them in the future.
