Derby County and Norwich City eyeing striker transfer | OneFootball

The Rams and Canaries are in a battle for a top youth prospect north of the border...

A number of clubs narrowly missed out on the Championship play-off spots this past season - with two of those being Derby County and Norwich City.

Sixth place in the table went down to the final day of the season, with multiple sides able to sneak past Hull City and into the final spot, but in the end, it was the Tigers who won out with a 2-1 win at the MKM Stadium over Norwich City.

And whilst the Canaries couldn't mathematically make it into the play-offs at that point, they did recover from a perilous position early on in the campaign, which led to the early sacking of Liam Manning, but his replacement in the form of ex-Rangers boss Philippe Clement led them up the table to briefly challenge for the top six.

A team who were very much in the mix though were Derby, who at 1-0 up on the final day of the season were in the final play-off spot with Hull and Wrexham both dropping points, but Sheffield United turned the game on its head at Pride Park, consigning the Rams to a defeat and ending their promotion hopes.

Both County and City will regroup over the summer and they will perhaps be shopping for similar transfer targets - and they're already both eyeing one particular developmental player.

Norwich City & Derby County rivalling Bournemouth for teenage striker

According to a report by the Daily Record in Scotland (May 22, 1:10pm), Derby and Norwich are among the clubs that are tracking a teenage starlet north of the border in the form of Daniel Edzii.

Edzii is a 16-year-old forward who has been with Scottish Championship side Queen's Park for nearly two seasons, and is only on an amateur contract with the Spiders - yet they are trying to tempt the teen into agreeing professional terms at Lesser Hampden.

The attacker was part of a Queen's Park youth side that got to the Scottish Youth Cup final this year in a losing effort to Hearts, and his form for the Glasgow-based outfit at underage level is seeing interest ramp up.

Derby and Norwich - both of whom run Category 1 academies despite being at Championship level, are eyeing up Edzii to add him to their youth setup, but they're being rivalled by Premier League side Bournemouth, who want to take the youngster on trial in a potential try before you buy scenario.

And, given Edzii is only on an amateur contract with Queen's Park, the second tier Scottish outfit appear to be powerless to stop one of their top prospects departing for an English club, should he want to take up the opportunity.

Norwich City & Derby County may hold one key advantage over Bournemouth in Daniel Edzii chase

Bournemouth may be heading for European football next season, but they cannot offer Edzii a Category One academy like Derby and Norwich can.

Investment has gone into the Rams and Canaries at youth level to make sure they have top facilities, and it means they can entice some top young talents to their club.

Bournemouth - for all their success at first-team level recently - are operating a Category Two academy, so they may not be able to offer Edzii the better level of coaching and facilities that he may need to take the next step in his career, and that could hand the interested Championship pair a way into the battle.