"The likes of Macauley Langstaff" - Pundit backs Derby County and Bolton Wanderers to take transfer punt | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer believes that EFL sides should take a gamble and sign Ilkeston Town's Tom Cursons

Former England international and current pundit Carlton Palmer has urged interested clubs to take a gamble on non-league striker Tom Cursons this month after recent reports linked the likes of Derby County, Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Peterborough United with a move for his services.

Cursons has been a hit at Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit Ilkeston Town this season, with 20 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions so far this season to help his side into fourth place.

His strong form has seen him shoot to the top of the NPL Premier Division goalscoring standings this term, while he also bagged 12 times in 18 appearances in 2023/24 after joining the club midway through the season from Gainsborough Trinity.

Carlton Palmer offers Tom Cursons verdict amid EFL transfer links

The 23-year-old's latest scoring exploits saw him net a quickfire nine minute hat-trick on New Year's Day against Basford United to help his side to a 5-0 win, and so it is no shock that some clubs in the EFL are watching on ahead of a possible move for his services this month.

Football Insider have reported that Derby County, Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Peterborough United are all plotting moves for non-league sensation Cursons, while Ilkeston are braced for offers for their prize asset, with the player out of contract this summer.

It remains to be seen whether he would immediately join each club's first-team squad, if he was to make the move, yet former Premier League player and current pundit Carlton Palmer believes that signing Cursons is a gamble worth taking due to the likely small fee and therefore lesser risk of his capture, as well as the high reward if he does kick on and prove himself as a professional.

He said: “Tom Cursons is out of contract in the summer, and has made it clear that he wants to play in league football.

“We’ve only got to look at Jamie Vardy as an example of where you can come from in non-league, and where you can go to.

“The 23-year-old has scored 20 goals in all competitions so far this season, and Ilkeston are pushing for promotion as they sit fourth in the table.

“Derby are desperate to bring a striker in, as they’ve scored 31 goals in 26 games, and are only five points clear of the relegation places.

“Cursons has made his desire to make the move into full-time football clear, but he is aware that he doesn’t want to sit on the bench.

“The likes of Bolton, Barnsley and Peterborough will be encouraged by that, as he is more likely to get game-time in League One.

“It’s always a gamble when you sign a non-league player, but if they can find the level regularly, then I think you can make the step up.

“We’ve seen the likes of Macauley Langstaff make the step up, he’s now at Millwall in the Championship after ripping it up in League One and Two.

“Yes, it’s a gamble, but it is one worth taking when you can get a player in for basically next to nothing.

“Derby County is a prime example - Paul Warne is brilliant with young players, and bringing them through, but obviously you want to play, so let's see what happens.

“It’s a gamble when you sign a player for £90 million, never mind when you take them from non-league, as to whether they turn out to be good or not. It might be a risk worth taking.”

Tom Cursons wants to make an EFL move soon, but not to sit on the bench

Cursons has caught the eye of clubs at a much higher level than the one he is currently playing at, and it is clear that lower-league EFL sides are taking semi-professional players a lot more seriously nowadays, given the recent success stories that have emerged from non-league football, such as Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone and Millwall frontman Macauley Langstaff.

The 23-year-old has made his feelings towards a Football League move clear in a recent interview for the Northern Premier League's website, but has also insisted that he won't just jump at the first opportunity that comes his way.

He said: "Ilkeston are aware that I want to play full-time football. I’m still in that age bracket where it can still happen, but I need to make sure it’s the right move at this stage of my career.

"I don’t want to go somewhere, sit on the bench for a year and stunt my progress. I know I can’t just jump as soon as I see a full-time contract in front of me.

"It’s quite weird really, as you dream of playing full-time, but when push comes to shove you always have to think whether it’s the right move at that time.

"Ilkeston’s an exciting place to be at the moment. When you’re surrounded by good players and good people, why would you want to jump ship?

"I know that there’s more in the locker too, both as a team and for me personally, which is quite exciting given we’re still amongst it near the play-offs.

"Right now, I’m backing myself that the offers will still come, and where there’s a chance that we may go up, it’s a case of taking each game as it comes and seeing where we are come May."

Cursons' form has continued to improve since that interview in November, and so those aforementioned teams could well make a move for his services soon if they feel he has the tools to arrive and impact their squad immediately for the second-half of the season in either a relegation battle, in Derby's case, or a possible promotion push in Barnsley and Bolton's case.