Derby County transfer target Jordan Rhodes was an unused substitute for Huddersfield Town on Saturday as the Terriers ran out 4-0 winners over their League Two opposition in pre-season.
According to TEAMtalk, the former Premier League striker is a possible option for the Rams and it is Paul Warne’s men who are leading the chase for the out-of-favour forward.
Once one of the deadliest strikers in the second tier, Rhodes’ career stalled following his move to Middlesbrough in 2016 and he has struggled to regain his previous form ever since.
Now 33 years of age and in his second spell with Huddersfield, it looks as though his time in West Yorkshire is behind him as Neil Warnock looks set to freeze him out of the team.
He has scored eight goals in 51 Championship appearances during his second spell with the Terriers, compared to the 73 he scored in 124 appearances throughout his first stint.
MORE DERBY STORIES
It was his initial spell with Huddersfield that earned him a seven-figure move to Blackburn Rovers in 2012. Rovers forked out a whopping £8million for the Scotland international in what was a club record fee, and it worked out quite nicely.
In 159 appearances for the Lancashire outfit, Rhodes hit the back of the net on 83 occasions before he was on the move again.
Boro came calling and splashed what was believed to be £9million on the striker at the end of the January transfer window during the 2015/16 season. He scored six goals as his new side won promotion to the Premier League, but saw himself shipped out on loan midway through their top flight campaign after failing to score in his limited appearances.
Sheffield Wednesday were the club that secured his temporary services in 2017 before his deal was made permanent the following summer. He managed 101 league appearances for the Owls in total, scoring 18 times in a period which also saw him spend time on loan at Norwich City. He scored six in 36 for the Canaries as they lifted the 2019 Championship title.
Would Rhodes be a good fit?
He returned to the Terriers once Wednesday were relegated to League One in 2021, and it is looking likely that Derby could be his next destination.
Rhodes has not played in League One since 2012. He scored 37 goals that season, providing a further three assists, making him the third tier’s top goal scorer by a landslide.
Another player with plenty of promotion experience on his CV, this might be the perfect chance for the striker to have one last hoorah. Derby may well be the beneficiary.