Derby County boss Phillip Cocu would not be drawn on speculation that the Rams are interested in signing Charlie Austin.

The East Midlands outfit have had a frustrating transfer window so far and they are desperate for a new number nine having lost Chris Martin in the summer.

And, Sky Sports revealed that Derby have opened talks with West Brom over a potential deal for Austin, who has scored goals and won promotion from the Championship in the past.

However, Cocu didn't comment on any potential deals when speaking to Derbyshire Live after the win over Norwich City yesterday afternoon.

"Like I said, let's focus on the players we have available. I don't give any comment at the moment because the players also deserved for us to talk about the players that played.

"Let's focus on the players we have available. They are very important players who are in at the club and maybe coming or not. So let's keep it at that."

The victory at Carrow Road ended a three-game losing streak for Cocu's men in the league.

The verdict

This is a pretty standard response from a manager when asked about a player, so there's nothing much to read into it.

The Dutchman has made it clear in the past that he wants reinforcements and everyone knows that they need a new striker before the deadline.

Austin would seem to be a decent fit, so if they can get that over the line it would be a smart addition. Either way, it's sure to be a busy 12 days before the deadline for domestic deals passes.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.