Derby County have reportedly entered the race to sign Plymouth Argyle forward Luke Jephcott according to The Sun. 

It has also been claimed that Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday are believed to be keen on a deal to sign the Welshman.

Jephcott has caught the eye with some strong performances this season, with the 21-year-old scoring 18 goals in 28 appearances in all competitions this term.

His good run of form has seen Plymouth move into the hunt for a top-six finish this season under the management of Ryan Lowe.

Argyle are currently sat tenth in the League One table, and are just three points adrift of sixth-placed Sunderland heading into their final 18 matches in this year's campaign.

Jephcott was linked with a move away from Plymouth in the January transfer window, but Ryan Lowe was keen to keep him at the club as they look to push for promotion into the Championship this term.

Derby County will be hoping they can remain in the second-tier, with the Rams currently sat 19th in the table with 18 matches remaining in their 2020/21 season.

Wayne Rooney's side beat promotion-chasing Middlesbrough in their last match, and will be eager to put together a positive run of results at the earliest of opportunities.

Derby are set to return to action on Tuesday evening, when they take on relegation-threatened rivals Wycombe Wanderers, in a crucial match in the battle to avoid the drop into League One.

The Verdict: 

This could be a smart signing by the Rams in the summer.

Jephcott has impressed me with Plymouth Argyle so far this season, and has shown that he can score goals consistently in League One.

Therefore, I'm not surprised to hear that Championship clubs are interested in signing him in the future, as he strikes me as the sort of player that is capable of making the step up to the second-tier.

Derby already have some strong attacking options with Lee Gregory recently getting off the mark for his new club, but Jephcott would be a shrewd signing in my eyes.