City boss Guardiola says Scott so crucial to Blues
PEP Guardiola is keen for Derby County goalkeeper Scott Carson to join Manchester City on a permanent basis.
Carson is in his second seasonlong loan at City and has yet to play a game for them in his role as third keeper.
The 35-year-old’s contract at Derby expires in the summer, when he will leave the club.
Guardiola has hailed the impact made by Carson and the City boss has compared his dressing-room authority to club captain Fernandinho.
“We have two top keepers and even the fourth one, (James) Trafford, is a guy who is growing really, really well,” Guardiola told the Manchester Evening News.
“And we have one player, one keeper that is so important for us, and that is Scott Carson.
“He is like a captain behind the scenes, like Fernandinho. He is not noticed in the papers or on the field because he is the third keeper but in the locker room he is like another captain.
“He is so important and, hopefully, he can stay longer with us in the next years.”
TWO German clubs are reportedly keen to sign SV Darmstadt 98 striker Serdar Dursun, who has been constantly linked with Derby County.
The 29-year-old is out of contract in the summer and it is being claimed by German newspaper Bild that Bundesliga side Union Berlin and second-tier side Hannover 96 want the player.
Bild reports that Darmstadt, who also play in the second tier, have received an offer of £450,000 from Hannover for Dursun.
Darmstadt manager Markus Anfang says he is seeking clarification on Dursun’s future. Speaking after Darmstadt’s 2-1 defeat by Hannover, Anfang said: “Serdar didn’t have a good day. It was a difficult game for him, I want to hear what the situation did to him.”
Derby showed an interest in Dursun during the summer transfer window but could not agree a fee for the 6ft 3in forward.
A post-brexit shake-up for football transfers from the European Union means the Rams would not be able to sign Dursun in the current transfer window.
A new points-based system has been agreed by the FA, Premier League and EFL in conjunction with the Home Office. This has come into effect and will be reviewed ahead of the summer 2021 window. Dursun has no senior international caps and is playing in the second tier of German football, so does not fit the new criteria.
ROTHERHAM United hope to have their record signing back for Saturday’s Championship clash against Derby County at Pride Park Stadium.
Striker Freddie Ladapo missed last weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie against Everton due to a groin problem but the 27-year-old is back training.
“He has done loads of work with the physios. He had an injection and had a couple of days off but returned to training,” Rotherham manager Paul Warne said.
Ladapo joined Rotherham from Plymouth Argyle in a £500,000 deal in the summer of 2019 and has scored 18 goals in 49 League games for the South Yorkshire club.