According to Greek media source Arena FM, Derby County were amongst the scouting parties in Greece at the weekend as they watched the Aris vs Atromitos game.
The Rams were joined at the game by Scottish SPL side Aberdeen, although there is no clear indication of who either side were there to watch.
It was a game, however, where 23-year-old on-loan PAOK Salonika striker Efthymios Koulouris scored his 18th goal of the season. This strike made him the leading scorer in the Greek Super league. He’s also notched five goals in the Greek Cup, the Kypello Elladas, this total including a hat-trick against Appollon Smyrnis.
Derby currently sit in 8th place in the Sky Bet Championship table, two points shy of the play-off places, the last of which is held by Bristol City on 65 points and with +9 goal difference.
With four games to go, it’s promising to be an interesting run-in to the season’s end with the clichéd ‘everything’s up to play for’. Derby’s problem has been that they have not had a consistent out-and-out striker who can knock the goals in.
Last season, the Rams could rely on Czech forward Matej Vydra to knock in the goals, he netted 21 times last season before his move to the Premier League with Burnley. His big-money replacement, Jack Marriot, hasn’t really converted his £millions fee into goals, scoring just seven times in 30 appearances.
Current leading scorer is Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson who has netted 12 this Sky Bet Championship campaign. All of these goals have come from starting positions on the field that do not include that of a centre-forward.
With Derby struggling for consistency in front of goal, sending a scout over to watch a side containing the Greek Super League’s leading scorer isn’t that far-fetched.
