According to the Athletic, Derby County boss Wayne Rooney could consider a move for defender Gary Cahill who is set to leave Crystal Palace on a free this summer.
Cahill is out of contact with the Eagles following a two-year spell at Selhurst Park.
The 35-year-old was a regular during the 2019-20 campaign but has featured more sporadically this season as Palace boss Roy Hodgson looks to the future.
Derby are desperately short of defenders heading into the summer.
Matt Clarke, Teden Mengi and George Edmundson have all returned to their parent clubs following loan spells, while Curtis Davies and Andre Wisdom are out of contract.
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The Athletic claim no formal negotiations have taken place over a new deal for Davies and Wisdom, while there has been no talk of the latter eager to stay beyond this season.
Wayne Rooney has a big rebuild job on his hands this summer, and the Athletic say he could consider a move for his former England international teammate Cahill.
The Derbyshire-born defender’s best days are behind him, but Cahill could provide valuable experience and perhaps the Rams could provide a platform for a future coaching role.
Cahill won the lot during his time at Chelsea, including the 2012 Champions League as the Blues beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the final at the German club’s Allianz Arena.
It’s unlikely the defender will continue to feature at Premier League level, therefore a drop into the Championship could extend his playing days for another year or two.
Derby, meanwhile, have of course seen Rooney feature as a player for the club while Ashley Cole is another former England international who had a spell at Pride Park.
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