Blackpool manager Simon Grayson has told the Blackpool Gazette he hasn’t received a call from Derby County for forward Armand Gnanduillet amid recent reports.
According to Football Insider, Derby are keen on Blackpool’s 6ft 4inch forward.
Gnanduillet is out of contract with Blackpool next summer. He has scored 12 goals for the League One club this season, including five in his last four games.
(Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images).
The Rams are said to have scouted him ahead of the January transfer window. With his contract expiring, he could be available for a potential cut-price fee.
But Grayson says he has yet to receive a call confirming Derby’s interest. Moreover, the Blackpool boss suggests talks with the striker are underway over a new contract.
I would think any player that is playing well and is scoring goals will get interest. We’re looking at players all the time but financially we won’t have to sell him. No-one from Derby or Charlton has rung me yet, so we’ll have to wait and see. Maybe it’s an agent just playing a bit of early transfer business when we’ve still got six weeks to go. I think the club have mentioned it [a new contract] to his agent, so we’ll just see where that one goes.
Derby have plenty of attacking threat in Chris Martin, Martyn Waghorn, Jack Marriott and Tom Lawrence. Moreover, Wayne Rooney will add more options.
That said, Gnanduillet is a different proposition altogether due to his size. Standing at 6ft 4inch, the French-born forward is strong in the air and brings others into play.
Phillip Cocu enjoyed plenty of success at PSV using 6ft 2inch Luuk de Jong upfront. He could be considering a similar approach at Derby with Gnanduillet in mind.
(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images).
The 27-year-old lacks top level experience. He would represent a gamble, while last year was the first season of his career where he managed to net double figures.
Also see: Derby reportedly tried to sign £7m star set face Rams on Tuesday
Also see: ‘They play the right way’: Fulham boss highly complimentary of Derby ahead of showdown