Derby County are hoping to sign Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic on loan in the January transfer window, according to a report by The Telegraph.
The 22-year-old joined Leicester from Dinamo Zagreb for £18million in 2018 and spent last season on loan at Celtic, where he impressed, scoring two goals in 27 appearances.
However, the Croatia international is currently out of favour at Leicester and is yet to make a Premier League appearance for Brendan Rodgers' side, so he could be open to the possibility of going out on loan.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, Derby boss Phillip Cocu is thought to be keen on signing the centre-back, as he looks to strengthen his defensive options following the Rams' underwhelming start to the Championship season.
Here are THREE qualities that Benkovic would bring to Derby if he were to join the club next month...
Distribution
Benkovic is a great defender and he certainly isn't afraid to get stuck in, but he's also a modern-day centre-back and is very skilled on the ball.
He has an exceptional range of passing and is totally comfortable playing out from the back, which is something that Derby have struggled with since losing Richard Keogh.
He can play long crossfield passes, but he can also carry the ball into midfield and play out under more pressurised circumstances.
A threat from set pieces
Benkovic is very strong and his height and physical stature make very effective in both boxes.
He's very strong in the air and good at dealing with balls into the box, but he would also provide the Rams with a threat from set-pieces.
He scored two goals while on loan at Celtic last season and he also scored four goals the previous campaign with Dinamo Zagreb, so this could be very useful for Derby.
Experience
Despite being just 22, Benkovic boasts an impressive amount of experience for a young player - he's played in the Europa League, the Champions League and has been capped by the Croatia national team.
He may not have any experience in the Premier League or Championship, but it shouldn't take him very long to adapt to the physical demands of English football.
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He's a very promising player and has all the attributes of a modern-day centre-back and he should only continue to improve as he gains more experience.