Nick Blackman has signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv from Derby County, the Israel club have confirmed.
The former Reading striker spent the best part of the 2017-18 campaign on loan at Tel Aviv. He enjoyed arguably his best full season of his career in Israel, netting 10 goals in 31 games.
At Derby, it just hasn’t worked out for Blackman. He has proven to be an expensive gamble, and a permanent exit from Pride Park has long been on the cards.
Derby fans have commented on social media site Twitter upon hearing the news. Some have wished Blackman luck on his move, while others are happy to see him gone.
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What went wrong for Nick Blackman at Derby County?
Derby signed Nick Blackman from Reading in January 2016. The Guardian claim the Rams paid £2.5 million for his signature as he penned a three-and-a-half-year deal.
Blackman arrived at Pride Park as one of the Championship’s leading scorers. He netted an impressive 11 goals in 25 games for Reading in the early stages of the 2015-16 season.
At Derby, however, he struggled to replicate that form as he joined the Rams at arguably the worst possible time. Then manager Paul Clement was dismissed within a month of Blackman’s arrival. His next permanent manager, Nigel Pearson, didn’t last much longer, featuring for just nine games.
It was an uphill task for Blackman. He was often played out of position on the wing, and his confidence was drained. Just one goal in 23 Championship games over 18 months illustrated his struggles.
Blackman spent the previous two campaigns farmed out on loan. Despite signing a one-year extension to his contract, a permanent exit seemed a foregone conclusion this summer.