Gary Rowett could be leaving Derby County in the summer with Stoke interested in his services.

The Potters finished 19th in the Premier League after a disappointing first half of the season under Mark Hughes, which led to him being sacked.

His successor Paul Lambert was unable to turn things around with the team struggling to score and often grinding out draws.

Lambert's poor spell led to him leaving the club by mutual consent as the club prepares for Championship football, and they appear to want someone who has plenty of experience at this level.

Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett provided this update for Stoke and Derby fans:

The Verdict

It's likely that Rowett will be tempted by the financial resources available to him at Stoke as pointed out by Dorsett. They will have parachute payments to ease the transition, so he could properly invest in the squad, which is something the Rams are unlikely to be able to do this summer unless they sell key players such as Matej Vydra.

This would be a shame for Derby considering what they have been able to achieve under Rowett, but there's little they can do to stop his ambition. Bringing him in would be a good move for Stoke and shows that the board are preparing in the right way for the move down divisions.