Former Derby County winger Alan Hinton has urged Curtis Davies to extend his stay at Pride Park for at least one more year after performing admirably last term, taking to Twitter to issue this plea.

The 37-year-old played in all 46 of the East Midlands side's 46 league games last term and though the Rams were relegated to League One, that was no reflection of the veteran's performances with the experienced defender remaining solid at the back.

In fact, his defensive solidity played a big part in nearly guiding Wayne Rooney's side to safety despite needing to make up a 21-point deficit with the club handed two points sanctions during the 2021/22 campaign.

His contract expires this summer though in a blow for the Rams and with a takeover yet to be finalised, with concerning reports that Chris Kirchner's deal is in danger of collapsing, they will be unable to offer him fresh terms.

Bristol City and Hull are two sides that are thought to be keeping tabs on his situation though, potentially providing him with an escape from Pride Park as uncertainty surrounding the future of the East Midlands outfit continues to remain.

The Tigers have reportedly held talks with the 37-year-old and although a move was deemed unlikely, this morning's takeover reports could open the door for Shota Arveladze's side to strike an agreement.

Hinton is one man that is desperate to keep Davies though and before this latest takeover revelation emerged, he said: "Stay at Derby County at least for one more year. Your leadership will be necessary and your future within the club or elsewhere is assured. Trust me I know."

The Verdict:

It would be a real coup if Derby were able to tie him down to a new deal now considering the fact off-field turmoil is set to continue - and there comes a point where Davies needs to move on for his own sake despite Hinton and other Derby fans rightfully wanting to keep hold of him.

However, the 37-year-old is at a point of his career where he can probably afford to wait a few more weeks for the Rams' future to become clearer before either signing fresh terms or moving on.

But pre-season starts in just a couple of weeks and the experienced defender will surely be wary of that, so it will be interesting to see whether he takes the jump back up to the second tier if the opportunity comes along.

His commitment to Derby's cause can't be questioned and at this point, many of the relegated side's supporters wouldn't blame him if he moved on with the Robins and the Tigers two potentially attractive options.

With Nigel Pearson's side already moving quickly to secure a couple of shrewd deals, he could enjoy an exciting 2022/23 campaign at Ashton Gate. And the other potential option is reuniting with his old club at the MKM Stadium, with the East Yorkshire outfit seemingly on the up following Acun Ilicali's takeover.