By Wayne Veysey

6th Nov, 2019 | 2:32pm

Exclusive: Derby County & Cardiff City plot January swoop for 15 goal/assist sensation

Derby County and Cardiff City are closely monitoring Ayr United sensation Luke McCowan ahead of the January window, Football Insider can reveal.

The versatile attacker, 21, has lit up the Scottish Championship this season with a series of dazzling performances.

Sources at Derby and Cardiff have told Football Insider that they are among a number of clubs south of the border keeping close tabs on McCowan.

These also include an unnamed side in the English Premier League.

McCowan is out of contract at Ayr at the end of next season, which makes them vulnerable to losing him.

He could be snapped up for a bargain fee in the winter window, with Derby and Cardiff viewing him as a player with the potential to play at first-team level.

McCowan has had an outstanding start to the season for the Ayrshire club, who are second in the Championship and chasing promotion to the top division.

He has scored eight goals from 17 matches in all competitions, as well as weighed in with seven assists.

McCowan can thrive in a number of roles, including both attacking flanks as well as the number 10 role behind the main centre-forward.

He has graduated through the ranks at Ayr after being signed in the summer of 2017 on loan from Annbank United.

He signed a contract in January of last year that runs until the summer of 2020.

In other Derby County news, it can be REVEALED that the club are battling Huddersfield Tow and Swansea City to sign EFL midfielder lighting up the league.