MCCLAREN: I’D LIKE MARTIN AT DERBY
DERBY manager Steve McClaren would love to get striker Chris Martin back from Fulham – but can’t see it happening.
McClaren’s predecessor, Nigel Pearson, loaned Martin to Fulham for the season.
Fulham can make the move permanent next month and the only way Martin can return to Derby is if all three parties agree.
McClaren said: “Unless Fulham have had enough of him or he has had enough of Fulham, I really don’t know how it is possible.
“He is doing a good job for them and they are very pleased with him, so he is going to be a big player for Fulham.
“The loan is something that happened at the beginning of the season but it is strange that he is still our player and yet he is playing for a rival.
“Managers have to make decisions and, probably, it was understandable at that time but I have the highest regard for Chrissy, as everybody knows.”
County are lining-up a £500,000 January offer for the 22-year-old Hearts’ Scotland international full-back Callum Paterson.
Paterson, who has played five times for Scotland, is out of contract at the end of the season.