Exclusive: Derby County price tag revealed as Chelsea sniff bargain deal

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Published on:

13 Apr 2020, 6:30 am

Derby County will hold out for a £5million fee for midfielder Max Bird this summer amid growing Chelsea interest, Football Insider can reveal.

The Premier League giants are eyeing the 19-year-old after he impressed manager Frank Lampard and his assistant Jody Morris last season when they were at Pride Park.

A Derby source has told Football Insider that the club value academy product Bird at the £5m mark and would not let him go for less.

Bird has just over two years remaining on the contract that he signed in March of last year.

Football Insider revealed last week that Chelsea are keeping tabs on the youngster.

Bird is regarded as a young player of great promise and talent after graduating from the Derby youth ranks to make 27 first-team appearances.

The first eight of those came last season when Lampard was at helm and Bird has played another 19 matches since Phillip Cocu took over as manager.

He is a central midfielder and has made the defensive midfield role his own since Christmas.

Bird started 12 of Derby's 13 league games before football was suspended a month ago.

He was a regular scorer and direct creator of goals for the Derby youth teams, but has been more of a defensive screen for the seniors.

The Championship club are vulnerable to losing the highly-rated teenager amid football's cash crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Derby have a glimmer of hope of reaching the play-offs and securing promotion, but will have to claw back a five-point gap on sixth place when the season resumes.

In other Chelsea news, it can be REVEALED that the club have reached an agreement on a landmark new deal.

Chelsea FC

Derby County