3/1 To Win
Derby County have added to their attacking options by signing experienced striker Colin Kazim-Richards, subject to international clearance.
The 34-year-old, who has been capped by Turkey at senior international level on 37 occasions, has signed a contract with Derby which will run until the end of the 2020/21 campaign.
Kazim-Richards, who was most-recently on the books of Mexican side Pachucar, joins the Rams as a free agent and recently spent time training with Phillip Cocu’s squad.
The London-born frontman, who has amassed almost 500 appearances in club football, began his career in England at Bury and has since gained significant experience both at home and abroad.
Kazim-Richards has also played in Turkey, France, Greece, Holland, Scotland, Brazil and Mexico over the course of his career, as well as playing in the Champions League and Europa League.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy and attacking midfielder Louie Watson had joined Derby’s Under-23 squad as free agents.
Cocu said: “Colin has a large amount of experience after playing in various countries across the world and provides us with another option in the centre-forward role.
“He trained with us recently and that provided us with the opportunity to assess how he could possibly fit into the squad and also review his fitness.”
Goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy and attacking midfielder Louie Watson had joined Derby’s Under-23 squad as free agents.
In Profile
Kazim-Richards, born in Leytonstone in London, came through the youth set-up at Bury after joining the Shakers as a 15-year-old.
The striker burst onto the first-team scene whilst still a teenager and his impressive displays in League Two saw then-Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion secure his services for £250,000 in the summer of 2005.
He went on to join Sheffield United in the Premier League a year later, before embarking on a move abroad to Turkish top-flight side Fenerbahce ahead of the 2007/08 campaign.
From that point, Kazim-Richards has spent most of his career abroad by playing in the top-flight in Turkey, France, Greece, Holland, Scotland, Mexico and Brazil.
He has league winner’s medals to his name from Greece, Scotland and Brazil, as well as winning the Turkish Super Cup twice.
On the international stage, Kazim-Richards recorded 37 caps for Turkey between 2008 and 2015 - scoring twice - and was part of their 2008 European Championships squad as they reached the Semi-Final stage. He also has Under-21 and B Team international appearances to his name for Turkey, for whom he qualifies for through his mother.
