Sam Baldock and Sone Aluko appear to be in training with Derby County as the Rams' squad continue to be put through their paces ahead of next season.

Derby are in a difficult position off the pitch, with the club's ownership still up in the air and a transfer embargo still currently restricting the club from really flexing their muscles in the transfer window.

The Rams are only allowed to sign free agents and bring in loanees on short-term deals, leaving Wayne Rooney with very little room to work with in the market.

Free agents Richard Stearman, Ryan Allsop and Phil Jagielka are all currently training with the club, with Ravel Morrison recently joining them.

Derby have now posted a video of the squad reporting for training this morning, with former Reading duo Sone Aluko and Sam Baldock seemingly among the group.

Aluko and Baldock were both released by Reading at the end of last season, with the club choosing not to extend their deals.

Aluko made 33 appearances in the Championship last season, scoring two goals and registering two assists for the Royals.

Baldock, meanwhile, leaves Reading having scored 11 goals in 74 games for the club, failing to score in 20 Championship appearances last term.

The Verdict

Things are starting to look quite desperate for Derby here and it seems that they are having real difficulty assembling a squad for next season.

Aluko and Baldock are both 32 and are hardly options for the long-term, but the club's current predicament means that they cannot really attract anyone else.

They are established Championship players, but both are getting older and have found it difficult to make an impact at this level in recent years.

You have to ask yourself, would Derby considering signing these two players if an embargo wasn't in place and they were stable off the pitch?