Derby County defender Craig Forsyth could be offered a 12-month contract extension by the club, depending on the amount of games he features in between now and the end of the season, according to Derbyshire Live.

Forsyth has made nine Championship appearances for the Rams so far this campaign, most of which have come at centre half alongside Curtis Davies, while Matt Clarke was out with a knee injury picked up in Derby's 1-0 defeat at rivals Nottingham Forest.

However, since Clarke's return from injury Forsyth has once again found himself out of Phillip Cocu's starting line-up, and with the Rams being linked with a potential move for Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic this month, it could mean that the 30-year-old's first team chances will be limited at centre half.

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That means he will have to compete for a regular starting spot in his more natural full-back position, but he is facing strong competition from the likes of Jayden Bogle, Andre Wisdom, Scott Malone and Max Lowe, who have all been preferred to Forsyth by Cocu so far this term.

The Verdict

Forsyth has shown some real battling qualities during his spell with the Rams, in managing to overcome injury troubles to still be an important member of the squad, and he has performed well under the circumstances in which he has played in at centre half so far this term.

Cocu could well be tempted to offer the defender another extension to his contract given the flexibility he has shown in being able to play in different positions in defence, but that will all depended on whether he can force his way into the side during the rest of the campaign.

The next few months then will be crucial for Forsyth's chances of securing an extension, and he might be relying on another spell of injuries in Derby's squad to get some minutes on the pitch in the league and convince Cocu to extend his time at the club.