Earnie begins Forest talks

Rams accept offer for striker

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 13th May 2008

rob earnshaw wales

Earnshaw: Seeking move

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Nottingham Forest have had a £2.5million bid for Rob Earnshaw accepted by Derby.

The striker is now set to hold talks at the City Ground in an attempt to thrash out a deal with the newly-promoted Reds.

The Welsh international has endured a torrid season with the Rams and is keen to secure a move away from Paul Jewell's relegated side.

Derby broke their transfer record to take Earnshaw to Pride Park prior to the 2007/08 season, but restricted him to just seven starts during a disastrous Premier League campaign.

Jewell has always made it clear that he planned to make wholesale changes at the club over the summer and is prepared to make a loss on the player in order to free up space in his squad.

Options

"We have agreed a fee of £2.5million with Nottingham Forest and Robert is speaking to them," he told Derby's official website.

"I gave him the option of speaking to them or he could stay here and he wanted to speak to them.

"I think it's a fair price. We actually paid £3.6million for him so it's a loss of £1.1million over a year but as I have said I want to change things quite drastically here and everyone has their price.

"If we can get a few out and bring a few new players in with a bit of freshness I think it will only benefit us."

Valuation

Sheffield United are also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation, but Derby chairman Adam Pearson confirmed that as yet the offer from Forest is the only one to meet their valuation.

"His track record in the Championship is a good one and I would expect there to be other clubs interested in him," he said.

"But at this moment in time the Forest offer is the only definitive one we like."

Boost

Forest are understandably keen to put together a squad capable of competing in the Championship after languishing in League One for the past three seasons.

As a result, the Reds' boss Colin Calderwood admits that he is keen to strengthen as soon as possible and hopes to have new faces on board in the near future.

"Ideally if we could get who we are after in the immediate, that would be a great situation and would give everyone in the city another boost, adding to the mood of euphoria that surrounds our promotion," the Scot told the club's official website.

"We want to make the squad look as though it will be strong in the next division and hopefully we will conclude something soon."