Championship rivals Huddersfield Town and Luton Town have joined Derby County in the race for midfielder Conor Hourihane, according to an update from the Daily Mail.

The 31-year-old is officially a free agent after being released on the expiration of his contract at Aston Villa, something that came as no real surprise considering he spent the majority of the latter part of his spell at Villa Park out on loan.

He joined Sheffield United on a temporary deal last term and played a semi-regular role at Bramall Lane, though the Blades' chances of recruiting him on a permanent deal could be damaged by the fact he wants a considerable amount of playing time at his next destination.

Derby are thought to be locked in talks with the Irishman regarding a contract at Pride Park, with the Rams now able to tie down some of their top targets following their takeover and exit from administration.

Their move for the midfielder could be hijacked by previous play-off rivals Huddersfield and Luton though, with both clubs able to offer him a chance to play second-tier football again following the expiration of his temporary spell at Bramall Lane.

Both sides wouldn't need to fork out compensation for his services either, with Hourihane not graduating through Villa's youth system.

The Verdict:

For both sides, this could be an intelligent move because although he didn't exactly blow anyone's socks off at the Blades, he was a reasonably solid figure and would do a decent job at either team.

With Reece Brown, Alex Vallejo and Carel Eiting all leaving the John Smith's Stadium, this is certainly an area Carlos Corberan needs to look at and on a free transfer, bringing in Hourihane would be a real positive for the Terriers.

Already showing a willingness to be in Yorkshire from his time with the likes of Barnsley and Sheffield United, it shouldn't be too hard to persuade him to turn up at Huddersfield if he's offered a decent amount of game time.

Luton would also be a good option for the Irishman because the Hatters are certainly a team on their way up under the stewardship of Nathan Jones and there's every chance they could be fighting for promotion once more next term.

The departure of Kal Naismith didn't just take a defensive option away - but also a midfield one too and Hourihane could potentially come in to fill the void left by the Bristol City man.