Rams need Moore from defender

Rams need Moore from defender

Rams boss Paul Jewell has dismissed reports linking veteran defender Darren Moore with a move to Championship sides Coventry City and Leicester City.

Moore has struggled in the Premiership with his distribution, but one thing you always get from the big defender is 100% commitment.

He was at fault for two of the Rams goals at Portsmouth on Saturday, but in his defence the Rams were down to the bare bones with Danny Mills limping off after 30 minutes and Jewell having no cover on the bench.

National newspapers claimed that the Championship clubs were embroiled in a head-to-head battle to sign the 33-year-old centre-half on a free transfer, and with former Rams favourites Steve Howard and Matt Oakley at the Foxes, a move to the Walkers Stadium looked the most likely.

But Jewell has denied all knowledge of the stories and insisted that Moore certainly would not be leaving Pride Park without a transfer fee.

‘I was surprised to hear that this morning, and even more surprised to hear he was going on a free transfer,’ said Jewell.

‘Darren Moore is a Derby County player. I haven’t had any calls about him and I don’t know where that story has come from.

‘What I will say is that, just like everybody else, Darren Moore has his price but free certainly isn’t his price.’