Derby County head coach Paul Warne has issued an update on transfer activity at Pride Park.

It is understood club owner David Clowes has signed off on a new centre-back in the wake of Curtis Nelson’s season-ending knee injury, while the Rams have also been linked with Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Oscar Fraulo.

Asked about the transfer state of play ahead of Derby’s Championship clash with Cardiff City on Saturday (3pm), Warne said: “I think we’re progressing really well. We have three really good targets that we like.

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“As always, they’re not ones we’re going to buy, so we are limited to the speed of the transaction by the parent club - that’s the honest truth. I don’t think we’ll have someone in place by this weekend. It’d be great if we did, but honestly I don’t think it will.

“They’ve all played at the level,” he added. “One’s a potential purchase who is playing abroad but the three have all played at the level.

“I don’t think this window for us in our current situation is a time for developmental signings, or signings that we think might be able to help. We need proper solid citizens as I call them, people who have played at the level, know the league, have played this year and are ready to be dragged and dropped into the starting XI.”

Amid links to Fraulo, Warne continued: “We do have foreign targets, whether we press on any of them I don’t know. There is a midfielder who has currently played at the level and played in the Championship that I think is a better fit, but as always, there’s a lot of moving parts.

“We are looking at players abroad but the English Championship with three games a week at times has massive physical needs, so if we can get a British player for this position, I think that’s what we’d do.”

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