Steve Davies
TRANSFER LATEST: Derby County boss Nigel Clough expects Steve Davies sale to go through
By Dave Gooderham
Saturday, July 28, 2012
8:07 AM
IPSWICH Town top striking target Steve Davies could rejoin Paul Jewell in a matter of days.
For the second successive friendly, Derby County boss Nigel Clough has opted against picking last season’s top scorer – Davies will miss today’s match with Burton Albion.
And a source near to the Rams boss admits Clough doesn’t want to risk Davies getting injured when a move is so close.
Ipswich remain in pole position and while Clough himself would not discuss teams, he did admit yesterday: “We keep saying this, but there might be something in place in the next few days.
“I do expect something to happen but it is just a case of when.”
Town have always led the chase for the 24-year-old, who has scored 21 goals in 49 league starts since Jewell signed him for Derby from Tranmere four years ago.
Against that impressive scoring tally is Davies’ cruel run of injuries which have included a hairline fracture to his foot, ankle surgery, cruciate ligament damage and a fractured skill which left him with 10 metal plates in his head. In all, he had six operations in three years at Pride Park.
But last year, he made 27 appearances, scoring 12 goals, and he has remained in training with Derby this summer despite not signing a new deal at the end of last season.
Davies made no secret of the fact he wanted to move south for family reasons and, despite entering the last year of his contract, Clough has refused to let him go on the cheap.
With Jewell equally adept at playing hardball during the negotiations, a interesting game of cat-and-mouse has been played out between the two managers.
Derby wanted close to £1 million for the striker but with the Blues boss only offering around half that figure, it appears a compromise has finally been reached.
With Clough predicting a conclusion in a matter of days, it could be that Davies will make his debut against West Ham next Saturday.
* Jewell is expected to speak about Davies after this afternoon’s friendly at Luton Town. Keep checking this website for further updates.
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6 comments
Town are as far from a top 6 team (with or without Davies) as they have been for the last 5 years....Mid table finish at best
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bluearmy78
Monday, July 30, 2012
http:www.football-lad.comjimmy-bullard-cheeky-chappy-gone-wrong - Just read this about Bullard and wondered does anyone else think he could still play a big part this year?
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IpswichTILIDie
Saturday, July 28, 2012
sign him up . Im more excited on this one rather than Wickham rejoining us . He just didnt live up to the hype and think he believed he was better than he was when the premier league teams started sniffing around . Hes gone to Sunderland made 13 sub appearances and scored 1 goal . Enough said !
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jason slaymaker
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Hmm... I didn't realise he had fractured skill... that sounds dangerous.
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I am Spartacus
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Yes and he could also be signing for another club so lets not get carried away just yet.
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max ward
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Get this lad and connor wickham on loan , off load the unwanted Ellington and we might just have something here that can make the top 6
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KEVIN FRANCIS
Saturday, July 28, 2012