Nick Blackman is one of several senior players at Derby County who is out of contract in the summer, but Rams boss Frank Lampard should not give up on the striker just yet.
The 29-year-old is making a name for himself at Sporting Gijon, having spent the past eight months on loan with the club in Spain's second tier.
The experienced forward has made 15 appearances for the Spanish club this season, scoring two goals, and appears to be enjoying life at one of Spain's best supported clubs outside La Liga.
The striker last featured for Derby in a pre-season friendly against Mansfield Town and has not played a competitive game for the Rams since the 1-1 draw with Rotherham in May 2017, having spent the whole of last season out on loan.
Much has changed at the club since that game, with manager Gary Rowett leaving Pride Park to join Championship rivals Stoke City and being replaced by former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard.
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With his three-and-a-half-year contract at Derby due to expire in the summer, it will be interesting to see where the striker goes from here.
Blackman admitted during an interview with BBC Sport earlier this year that he has not spoken to Lampard since his move to Spain and it remains to be seen whether he has a future at the Pride Park.
It seems unlikely that the Rams will offer him a new deal, meaning he will be able to leave the Championship club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
The striker appears to be enjoying life in Spain at the moment and Sporting Gijon may want to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer.
However, perhaps Lampard should not give up on the striker just yet and while it seems unlikely, he could still be a useful player for the Rams.
There is no denying that Blackman is not the same player he was when he arrived at the club from Reading back in 2016, but he is a very experienced player and could provide some depth to the Derby squad.
It will be interesting to see whether his performances in Spain this season have done enough to convince Lampard to change his mind on the player, or whether he would even want to remain at Pride Park.