Derby County have successfully secured the signing of striker Jack Marriott from Peterborough United on a three-year-deal for an undisclosed fee. Sky Sports believe that Derby will make an initial payment of £3million, with add-ons that could see the fee rise to £5million. Marriott was certainly in demand after he dazzled in League One last season.
He scored 33 goals across all competitions for his former employers during the previous campaign, 27 of which came in the English third division. Marriott emerged through the youth ranks of Ipswich Town and was eventually elevated to their senior side. While he was in the books of the Tractor Boys, he was shipped out on loan to Woking, Gillingham, Carlisle United and Colchester United.
Then, through a permanent deal, he switched to Luton Town in 2015 and scored 28 goals in 91 appearances for them before moving to Peterborough United. He has been growing in stature and has paved his way up to the Championship from the lower leagues. At the onset, it appears that the Rams have struck gold by luring him to the Pride Park Stadium this summer.
A strong striker with pace to burn, Marriott causes a lot of trouble to the opposition backline with his quick movements on and off the ball. The 23-year-old is a clinical goal-scorer and will only get better with age. An instinctive poacher inside the box, he times his runs perfectly and can be counted upon to get at the end of the crosses into the box.
Besides, he controls the ball well and is not awkward while trying to create chances for the others. However, standing at 5 feet 8 inches, he isn’t very productive in the air and is rarely successful during the aerial duels. The Englishman also needs to work on his link-up play with the other attackers. Nonetheless, the ingredients he has already make him a shrewd attacker and polishing himself further would only better his credentials.
Derby County came very close to promotion to the Premier League last season. With Frank Lampard at the helm now, the Rams will feel optimistic about their chances of crossing the final hurdle this time around. The former Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder has also roped in Florian Jozefzoon, Harry Wilson and Mason Mount to bolster his attack and apparently, he also has Martyn Waghorn on his radar. Lampard is aware of the Financial Fair Play regulations and is expected to sell Matej Vydra if Waghorn signs for Derby County.