Duncan was on radar for long time

DERBY County signing former Liverpool striker Bobby Duncan from Italian club Fiorentina caused quite a stir.

The 19-year-old, who has yet to make a senior appearance in his career, is part of the Rams’ Under-23 squad.

But how did the signing come about? Derby’s head of recruitment, Joe Mcclaren, outlines how the club landed Duncan.

“He is an interesting story,” Mcclaren told Ramstv.

“He first came on the radar at Manchester City in his young days and gets a move to his boyhood club in Liverpool.

“He is picked up early from the Academy scouting then into the transition into first-team scouting because we are watching a lot of 18s and 23s, not just for released players but for future loan players which we have done well in the past with loan players in the first team.

“We would have highlighted Bobby in the early days as ‘one to watch’ for a future loan but we always have to keep an eye on them because everyone has different pathways and routes as to where they want to go.

“He decided on a route to Fiorentina in Italy. Again, we keep an eye on it because we know these things can go either way, it might be a loan again from Fiorentina or it might not work out.

“I think he went there and things can change quickly. Things changed quickly at Fiorentina for him. I think he wanted to get back home and get back on his football and we provided that opportunity.

“He could have gone for firstteam football in League One or League Two, play a season, score loads of goals and get back up but I think he recognised here that there is a proper pathway to Championship football and also for the future up to the Premier League. We have shown we can sell upwards, which is important.

“People recognise the pathway here and what the coaches and the environment Mel Morris has worked hard on to create, Darren Wassall has worked hard on to create. It does pay off and people want to come here from that type of background, which is great.”