Clough Disappointed Over Commons Deal

Nigel Clough has spoken of his surprise and disappointment over the Kris Commons transfer after the Scottish international made his switch to Celtic and scored just six minutes into his debut at the weekend. The contract negotiations turned into an ongoing saga over the last couple of months with statements from both the player and the club suggesting a deal was close and professing how much they ‘loved` each other and how they were working hard on a deal but as the end of the transfer window approached it seemed inevitable the player would be leaving Pride Park. Talking to the Derby Evening Telegraph Clough stated that the club had done everything they could in order to keep Commons and had matched his wage demands but it was to no avail:

‘I am surprised by the outcome because for the last four to six weeks, he has been telling us – and I believe he has been telling you and everybody else – that he loved the club, loved the supporters, loved the training, loved everything about the place.’

‘He thought we had a good chance of getting promoted in the next season or two and as long as we matched this figure he had in mind for his contract, then he would absolutely love to stay.”

‘We matched what he wanted to the penny. And we also put an extra year on the contract, which he didn’t stipulate but mentioned. So to play safe, the extra year was put on. We did all we could to keep Kris. I really don’t think we could have done any more.”