If a report from The Sunday Mirror is believed to be true, Derby County are weighing up a surprise swoop for Rangers centre-forward Kemar Roofe. The Rams are considering a season-long loan move for the Jamaica international which, however, seems a bit unrealistic at this point given their League One status following last season’s relegation.
Derby fought hard right until the very end despite suffering 21 points deduction for entering administration and financial irregularities. They finished second bottom in the Championship standings, and therefore, lost an array of key personnel who are seeking fresh starts away from the third-tier of the English league pyramid.
Meanwhile, Rangers have roped in their skipper as well as last season’s top scorer Tom Lawrence on a Bosman. Many other first-team stars have left Pride Park upon the expiration of their contracts, but the Derbyshire side are now in better shape after the long-awaited takeover from the local property group Clowes Developments.
They are rebuilding the squad from the scratch and have identified a few players who could guide them through the process of recovery based on their experience and expertise of the highest order. Roofe is tipped to be one such name as he has mostly been the understudy to Alfredo Morelos since his transfer from Anderlecht a couple of summers ago.
The 29-year-old forward had his spells in the lower leagues with Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town, Colchester United and Oxford United prior to joining Leeds in the summer of 2016. He spent three seasons in the Championship before plying his trade in Belgium to gain the first-ever top-flight experience in his late 20s. The Light Blues splashed £4.5m to tie him down and Roofe, too, has been productive so far with 34 goals in 72 appearances across competitions.
Why Rangers Must Not Listen To Offers For The Jamaica International
Despite scoring some crucial goals in Rangers colours, the attacker has failed to cement a regular role due to form and fitness reasons. He has been deployed across the frontline throughout his career, but the gaffer Giovanni van Bronckhorst has somehow struggled to figure out the best possible role for the Jamaican. His poaching attribute has brought him success as a ‘super sub’, yet the Dutchman is highly-reliant on Morelos in the attacking third.
The Gers have roped in PAOK centre-forward Antonio Colak but, at the same time, have parted ways with Cedric Itten and Joe Aribo. Itten failed to attune to the grind and demand of Scottish football; however, the versatility of Aribo would be missed given the midfielder’s adaptability as a makeshift ‘False 9’ late in the previous term. The Glasgow giants can’t afford to lose any more players, particularly the veterans who have a massive responsibility ahead in the Champions League qualifiers.
