Rumours have been circulating in the last few days that the Rams will need to offer Kris Commons a massive pay packet to finalise his new deal.

The Sun reported that the figure may be somewhere close to £15,000-a-week and will make the Scotland international the club's best-paid player.

Having reached double figures for goals this season, he sits second on the league’s goal scoring table, so no-one should be shocked the club will need to throw a bag of cash at the talented attacker.

A fantastic strike rate of 10 goals in 18 Championship appearances means only Jay Bothroyd has found the back of the net more this season.

At 27 years of age Commons is playing the best football of his career and seems to have finally shaken off his injury troubles following a rigorous pre-season prescribed by Clough and his staff to get him fit.

The fact that he could leave the club on a free this summer also makes the situation more desperate as that happening would definitely call into question the ambition of the club.

Nigel Clough spoke to BBC radio about the delay:

"We're doing everything we can to keep Kris. There is only one sticking point in contract negotiations and that's money. It's purely what we can afford and what his ambitions are."

Although Kris deserves to be rewarded for his skill and ability, we can only hope he remembers that without the persistence and fitness work that the club and Nigel have put in on his behalf, he may never have realised his potential in the way he has done this season.

Let’s just hope an agreement is reached soon as to not provide a distraction from the job at hand.

Luke Out, Ian - Others Are Looking To Baggie Varney!

Only days after Ian Holloway stuck his foot in mouth regarding the status of Blackpool’s deal for Luke Varney, it seems West Brom have smelt blood and are lurking ready to pounce.

After the Rams management scoffed at Holloway’s suggestion that the two clubs had an agreement to sell the striker to Blackpool for £250,000 in January, it seems Olly may live to regret his comments.

His assertions were in the least childish when he said:

"We have a massive clause in there. He can't go anywhere else and we get him for £250,000.  They can't change that, there's nothing they can do about it. Unlucky."

This report did very well at upsetting fans and the club alike by suggesting the Rams would get no more than a mythical agreed amount for a player who is scoring regularly in the Premiership. Whatever the case, his outburst will definitely not help Blackpool with transfer negotiations when the time comes.

In contrast, another possible suitor, Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo, has already loaned Luke Moore to the Rams on two occasions and is kindly keeping Giles Barnes away from Derbyshire. Two very good reasons for the Rams to be more accommodating should the Baggies show interest in the outgoing hit-man Varney.

Varney has scored 4 goals during the Seasider’s Premiership campaign including a long distance stunner last week. As top flight clubs find themselves slipping towards danger, a player who can hit the target will be a valuable commodity. A commodity that Holloway may now find himself fast priced out of, especially having drawn everyone’s attention to Varney courtesy of his media outburst.

Unlucky!

I doubt if Blackpool miss out on the players signature that many Rams fans will feel much regret. Then Ian may realise "If you don’t have anything nice to say……".

More Moore For Rams!

Rams fans will be hoping to see more goals from Luke Moore as the club reached an agreement with West Brom this week to extend his loan period for at least another month.

Beyond December, Nigel Clough will then work to lock in a deal for Moore at least until the end of this season. The striker is now fit and firing, having scored two goals in four starts for Derby, including a stunning effort against Scunthorpe last weekend.

Nigel Clough was very pleased to be able to keep the Albion striker on the books:

"It is fantastic news he is staying on until the end of the year and we're confident he will continue to do a job for the team. He hasn't played or trained much all season and so he is just trying to get with the pace of the Championship”. 

"He looked fit and strong for us at Doncaster last month and then he had a setback with injury. He is trying to get back to that stage again and in training this week, he has looked closer to it”. 

"He seems to be enjoying it here. I think he looks a little bit moody sometimes but when you get him out there on the training pitch, he enjoys it. We get a laugh and a smile out of him now and then, which is nice. He just wants to be playing and appreciated". 

"Luke can do just about everything as a striker – he can finish, he is quick, he can hold it well. Some of his hold-up play second half against Scunthorpe was superb."

Moore's extended deal could spell the end of another striker's loan stay at Derby, as his maximum 93-day loan period will have been fulfilled:

"Shefki Kuqi has done brilliantly for us but I think Luke has established himself and if we do have a choice between the two, he will start. That extra little bit of quality just gets him the nod". 

"Shefki goes back in the middle of December but to have Luke, Steve Davies and Chris Porter as our three strikers to choose from for the last four months of the season, we would settle for that."

Kuqi should probably not panic as a longer stay may hinge on Porter and Davies being fit - based on their fitness history, Kuqi could find himself a required player again.... but I hope Chris and Steve prove me wrong!!

Until next time!! 

Photo: Action Images

pkay_brum added 16:06 - Nov 25 I thought Sav was Derby's top earner? It would be very disruptive for Derby to back out of retaining Commons' services; they would lose out massively, no fee to be gained (yes, I know the stupid Trees let him go for nothing) and The Rams would still need another (costly) goal-getter. We must be in pole position to keep him; if not, some other club would certainly pay him the going rate.

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