Derby County defender Mike te Wierik is desperate to leave the club in the January transfer window, with several clubs interested in his signature, a report from Dutch outlet Voetbal International has claimed.

Te Wierik only joined Derby on a three-year deal back in the summer transfer window, but has since struggled to establish himself at Pride Park.

The 28-year-old has made just four Championship appearances for the Rams this season, with his last outing coming at the end of October, and it now seems as though a parting of the ways could be imminent.

According to the latest reports, te Wierik is now attempting to secure an exit from Derby at the turn of the year, and it seems there are a number of potential new destinations on the horizon for him.

It is thought that Groningen - who te Wierik left last summer to join Derby - and Fortuna Sittard are both interested in bringing the centre back to the Eredivisie, while a number of as yet unnamed German clubs are also said to be keen on a potential deal.

Prior to his move to Derby, te Wierik had made 95 appearances in all competitions for Groningen, after joining them from another Dutch top-flight club, Heracles, in the summer of 2017.

The Verdict

It does look as though a move elsewhere for te Wierik could be the best option for all parties here.

The defender has never really settled at Pride Park, and he is not getting the game time he would have wanted, so you can understand why he is keen to secure a swift exit.

Given the impressive form they have found in defence over the past few weeks, it is hard to see te Wierik forcing his way back into the Rams side any time soon, so it is hard to imagine they will miss him too much if he does leave.

Indeed, with plenty of time to go on his contract at Derby, the Championship club may be able to secure a decent fee for him, which they could then reinvest in other areas of their squad next month.