Football
Exclusive: Doncaster Join Derby and Aberdeen in Race for Former Rangers Forward Kemar Roofe
Former Rangers and Leeds United striker Kemar Roofe is being linked with moves to Aberdeen, Derby County, and Doncaster Rovers. Despite interest from Aberdeen, Derby County may sign the experienced forward. After injury setbacks at Derby, Roofe is looking to revive his career following his release from Rangers.
Rangers FC v AC Sparta Praha: Group C - UEFA Europa League 2023/24 by Ian MacNicol | Getty Images
Former Rangers striker Kemar Roofe has been linked with a move back north of the border, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
But our sources understand Derby County may still sign the experienced 32-year-old ahead of interest from Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.
English League One outfit Doncaster Rovers have also made initial enquiries with Roofe over whether he would join their quest for Championship promotion this term.
Last season the former Leeds United ace joined Derby County after eight months as a free agent.
However, a hamstring injury limited him to just three appearances and the Rams opted not to give him a deal for the new season.
But the centre-forward, who has scored 112 career goals, trained with the Rams in pre-season and also scored in one of their pre-season fixtures.
Roofe, though, picked up another frustrating injury which led Rams’ boss John Eustace to reveal that the club would have to “monitor” the player’s fitness ahead of any potential deal being done.
INJURY ISSUES
Eustace admitted: “We were really disappointed when Roofey came in and got injured last season."
"He came in looking really sharp and ready to go, so I wanted to give him the opportunity to come in pre-season and prove his fitness."
"When we spoke last season, he had a terrible time with injury, but he has done really well and you could see he was getting fitter and fitter. We'll have to make a decision."
Roofe, who had a season in Belgium with Anderlecht between his time at Leeds and Rangers, had not featured in a competitive match for more than nine months before his move to the Rams.
He was released after four years with Rangers, a club where he won the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and League Cup, scoring 38 goals in 102 matches.
And now the five-cap former Jamaica international is desperate to restart his career having not played since 3rd May when he was used as a late substitute in a goalless Championship draw with Stoke City.
Astonishingly, he last started a league match back in April 2022, for Rangers in a 4-0 demolition of St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.