Championship quartet Boro, Derby, Brentford and Charlton Athletic all apparently want a Scottish Premiership striker who learned from Duncan Ferguson.

Middlesbrough, Brentford, Charlton Athletic and Derby County are all interested in bringing Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove back to England in the January transfer window, according to TEAMtalk.

The Beverley-born striker joined the Dons from Carlisle United in January 2018 and his form over the last year and a half has been nothing short of exceptional. Cosgrove plundered 21 goals in 44 games for Derek McInnes’s side last season and, so far in 2019/20, he has 15 in 19 already.

Such statistics were always going to catch the eye of clubs below the border and TEAMtalk believes that is the case with four Championship clubs keeping a close eye on a 6ft 2ins target man who learned his trade from legendary Everton striker Duncan Ferguson during his formative years at Goodison Park.

The report adds that Cosgrove could be available for less than £2 million.

It is no secret that Derby and Middlesbrough have struggled for goals during disappointing starts to the season. Jonathan Woodgate’s side dropped into the relegation zone after successive 0-0 draws while Derby are only six points better off.

Brentford, meanwhile, never really replaced Neal Maupay when he left for Brighton, though former winger Ollie Watkins has done a fine job in a new-look centre-forward role.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Halil Dervisoglu is set to join from Sparta Rotterdam in January and he has been a big hit in the Eredivisie, netting four times already with his relentless movement and clever finishing showcasing a lot of similarities with the departed Maupay.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly about to bid for player with ‘lots of pace’