James Collins revealed the chance to link up with some familiar faces was a key reason behind his decision to join Derby County.

The striker had fallen out of favour at Cardiff City following Steve Morison's appointment, so a summer move always seemed likely, and a host of clubs were monitoring the player, including Portsmouth.

However, the 31-year-old opted to join the Rams, who have been extremely busy as Liam Rosenior looks to build a team that is capable of challenging for promotion.

And, speaking to the club's media, Collins confirmed the prospect of regular football with some players he knows was part of the attraction of Derby.

"I’m really excited and I’m desperate to get back playing football again and scoring goals. There were talks and interest and I spoke to the manager about the move.

"A lot of players I know have signed for the club so that was a big factor and we’ve built a great squad here so far so I’m excited to come here and be a part of it."

Collins has been a teammate of David McGoldrick and Conor Hourihane at international level with Ireland over the years.

The verdict

This seems like a great move for Derby as they've picked up a proven League One level striker, and it's clearly a switch Collins is delighted to make.

As he says, his time at Cardiff was frustrating in the end but he accepted Morison's decision and it was about finding a new club that would give him a chance to play regularly.

That should happen at Derby and the fact he is linking up with some former teammates should ensures he settles in quicker.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.