Fulham have been heavily linked with a big-money move for Derby County striker Chris Martin overnight as they look to add forwards in the final days of the transfer window.
Martin, now 27, is believed to be towards the top of Slavisa Jokanovic’s target list as Fulham look to bolster their attacking options with just Cauley Woodrow and Matt Smith as front-line forwards in the first team squad. The Derby striker has been a prolific scorer at Champonship level in recent seasons and his hold-up play is believed to fit the mould of forward the Fulham head coach desires given that Smith, a tall and imposing striker, had led the line in most of Fulham’s games since the summer departures of Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele.
The question remains whether Fulham would meet Derby’s valuation of the Scottish international who has been a permanent fixture in Nigel Pearson’s side this season, with County reportedly ready to hold on for an offer in excess of £8m. Martin, who shot to prominence with Norwich City helping them earn promotion from League One and the Championship, has scored 53 goals in 142 league appearances for Derby, since joining them from the Canaries in 2013. He has topped the club’s goalscoring charts in both of the past two seasons, scoring 2015 goals as they reached the play-off final in 2014 and 21 last term when Derby finished eighth.
