This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Colin Kazim-Richards has signed a one-year deal at Derby County, according to The Athletic's Ryan Conway.

The Rams are on the lookout for a new striker, and with a move for West Bromwich Albion forward Charlie Austin looking unlikely, Kazim-Richards is now said to have agreed a deal at Pride Park.

Kazim-Richards is available to sign on a free transfer, after spending the last couple of years in Mexico with Lobos BUAP and CF Pachuca.

The 34-year-old has also featured 37 times for Turkey, and is widely known for his time in England with Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.

Here, we discuss whether Kazim-Richards would be a good signing for Derby or not...

George Dagless

It's certainly left-field.

I'm not sure I can see it to be honest.

Derby evidently want to add another winger with the Harry Wilson links in mind and though Kazim-Richards has got experience of English football and is a decent player, I just don't know if it really makes much sense.

He's in the latter stages of his career and I just think the Rams have better options available to them right now in terms of signings before the deadline.

He'd have something to offer I'm sure but it just lacks any real thought or strategy and I think in the long-term there's little need for it.

Jacob Potter

I'm not too sure about this one.

You would imagine that Kazim-Richards is going to be on hefty wages, and I'm not too sure he'd be good enough to play regularly in the Championship.

There's no doubt that Derby need to sign a winger before the transfer window closes, but Kazim-Richards isn't the answer.

They need to be targeting players that have proven experience in the Championship, with someone like Harry Wilson being a player that should be top of their wishlist.

It would be a poor move for all parties involved if Kazim-Richards signed for Derby, as I don't think he'd be a regular starter, and his wages simply aren't worth it in the long-term for the Rams.

They should avoid this deal and look at better alternatives on Deadline Day.

Quiz: Do Nottingham Forest and Derby County have these 10 things in common?

 

Ned Holmes

This move smacks of desperation for me.

Derby certainly need to add to their forward line before the window closes and turning to Kazim-Richards seems a bit of a last-ditch attempt to bring someone in.

That's not to say that the 34-year-old can't do a job but more that given the time they've had, you'd have expected them to bring in a better option.

I can't help thinking that they could've found a more appetising alternative by looking in the loan market or in the squads of some of their Championship rivals but it appears they're closing in on the signing of Kazim-Richards.

He's never been a hugely consistent goalscorer but perhaps he can be the option of the bench that Cocu needs.

It's an odd move in my eyes.