Davis back in the transfer gossip, Ince, Dursun too
ASTON Villa striker Keinan Davis is the subject of transfer talk again.
The 22-year-old is being linked with a move to Stoke City in this transfer window.
According to the Daily Mail, the Potters have put Davis at the top of their January wish list in a bid to pep up their attack.
Derby County asked about taking Davis on loan in the summer transfer window as they looked to boost their attacking options following the departure of Chris Martin.
The Rams are in the market again for a striker as they look to sharpen their attack in the second half of the season.
Stoke have injury problems in attack. Top scorer Tyrese Campbell is sidelined with a knee problem and Steven Fletcher limped off during the home defeat by Bournemouth at the weekend.
But Davis is in Villa’s first team squad.
He has been used as a substitute in three of the last five matches and was an unused sub in the other two.
Interim manager Wayne Rooney is keen to bolster the Rams’ squad this month.
“We have got targets we want to bring in and we are working on that,” said Rooney when asked about plans in this transfer window.
Rooney would not be drawn on the positions the club are looking at.
“All positions”, he said – but striker and the attacking department, as well as centre-back, are two areas of the team he wants to strengthen.
The Rams have been linked with Stoke’s Tom Ince, who scored 38 goals in 115 games in two spells with the Rams – first on loan from Hull City and then as a permanent signing.
The loan spell came under then Rams manager Steve McClaren, who is back with Derby as technical director.
Ince has started only two games for Stoke this season and there is speculation about the 28-year-old’s future at the club but he is not on Derby’s radar as things stand, the Derby Telegraph has been told.
The Rams continue to be linked with striker Serdar Dursun, who has been in good scoring form for SV Darmstadt 98 in 2.Bundesliga, the second tier of German football.
The 29-year-old has no senior international caps and, as the Derby Telegraph reported at the beginning of December, he does not qualify under the post-Brexit shake-up for football transfers from the European Union as things stand.
A new points-based system agreed by the FA, Premier League and EFL in conjunction with the Home Office came into the effect for this January transfer window and will be reviewed ahead of the summer 2021 window.
Players arriving from the EU will be required to gain a GBE (Governing Body Endorsement) for them to work in the UK.
The GBE will be decided on categories such as the senior and youth international appearances of the player; the quality of the selling club based on the league they are in, league position and progression in continental competition; and club appearances based on domestic league and continental competition minutes.
FORMER Derby County winger Luke Thomas could be on the move this month.
Ipswich Town, Sunderland and Oxford United are reportedly interested in the 21-year-old Barnsley player, according to Gloucester Live.
Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael has admitted Thomas could leave Oakwell.
“He is one player for sure who wants to play more,” Ismael said. “Yes he has the quality, he’s shown the quality but he’s a young guy, he has to learn a lot.”
Thomas joined Barnsley from Derby in a £1.2m deal in the summer of 2019. He made two first-team appearances for the Rams as a substitute, against Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers. in the 201718 season.
Frank Lampard, during his time as Derby manager, was impressed by Thomas.
“Luke has impressed me hugely with his attitude, his desire, his speed and his ability and we saw it,” said Lampard at the time.
“He is quick and unpredictable to defend against and that can be a weapon for us. He can make things happen.”
Thomas also had loan spells with Gloucester City and Coventry City.