Derby County: Paul Warne will be hoping for a European hat-trick as the Rams circle Viking FK star | OneFootball

The Rams are reportedly interested in the Norwegian striker as they look to push away from any threat of relegation.

Derby County's search for a permanent striker has been one that has stretched back to the summer, with Paul Warne still desperate to find the perfect number nine for his team.

It is clear that the Rams are in desperate need of more firepower up front, and Jerry Yates has to be given more support as the East Midlands outfit fight against the threat of relegation.

Warne's side are currently 18th in the Championship table, and just four points above the drop zone after 26 games. Two losses from two at the start of the new year, as well as a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United to bookend 2024 has seen those below them close the gap, and there will be a desire from supporters to see improvements quickly.

Louie Barry is just one name that has been linked with a move to Derby this January, but according to reports from Norway, the super signing they need has been found at Viking FK.

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen could be the Rams' third European success of the season

As per Nettavisen, the Rams are in the final stages of negotiations to bring Lars-Jorgen Salvesen to Pride Park ahead of the 3 February deadline, and it's news that will delight fans as their team get set to face Leyton Orient in the FA Cup third round.

A price of 20m Norwegian Krone (£1.4m) has been touted for the 28-year-old, who has scored 22 times in 56 games for Viking since joining from Bodo/Glimt just under two years ago.

If a deal for Salvesen is agreed, he would join Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Kenzo Goudmijn as Derby's European imports. The pair have enjoyed an excellent first few months in England, and they have both become fan favourites extremely quickly.

It is clear that Warne sees the market abroad as the perfect place to find cheap, quality options with less competition from rivals, and the Norwegian striker could be the third successful deal of the campaign for him from outside the UK.

Derby are in desperate need of a permanent option up front as well, and while a deal for Barry, which may still be possible, is exciting, for the long-term it is not the greatest situation as they would need to bring in another player in the summer on top of replacing Yates.

Salvesen's profile seems to suit Warne's style of play

Not much is known about Salvesen, but he is tall and physical, and this will fit into the way Warne likes his team to play.

Too often, Derby have lacked a threat from crosses in games, although they do pose a significant threat from corners, and the Norwegian will only help the wingers and full-backs in their attempts at playing the ball into the box.

The timeline of Salvesen's arrival will be crucial to the Rams' season, and they need to bring him in as early as they can with huge home games against Watford and Sunderland on the horizon.

Yates needs more support from his fellow strikers, and a player who has featured in the Champions League will only help him to provide more goals for the team, and Warne could have the perfect number nine for this campaign to be a success.