Derby County manager Frank Lampard has admitted the Rams are interested in Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie.
However, Lampard declined to elaborate at the club’s press conference yesterday, after Shinnie was pictured at Pride Park for talks last week.
Shinnie is out of contract in the summer and has stalled on signing a new deal with the Dons and looks set to depart Pittodrie in the summer.
Earlier this month he disclosed he would have to make a decision on his future soon, with the 27-year-old believed to be on a number of clubs’ wishlists.
Derby boss Lampard, who has built up a good relationship with the Dons and manager Derek McInnes over the loan of Max Lowe, gave an update on their pursuit of the Aberdeen midfielder.
He told the Derby Telegraph: “I don’t want to talk about Graeme Shinnie because he is not our player, he is an Aberdeen player.
“The interest from our point is obvious, but I think a lot of clubs would want a Graeme Shinnie in their team and I have a lot of respect for Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager, and he remains their player.”
Lampard also said he was unaware of the club being under a “soft transfer embargo”, due to their accounts being looked at by the English Football League. It is understood the club would be unable to register any players until the embargo is lifted.
Lampard added: “If we wanted to sign Graeme Shinnie, we can’t sign him until the summer.
“We have had talks with him because he is a free transfer in the summer, but he is Aberdeen’s player so that doesn’t affect that one, to be fair.”