Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and others may be watching Crystal Palace player's Burton progress closely: View | OneFootball

Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday should keep an eye on Crystal Palace youngster Ademola Ola-Adebomi with Burton Albion reportedly close to signing him on loan.

The pair are likely to be in the market for a new striker in the summer and Ola-Adebomi could be a player they look to bring in on loan should be impress with the Brewers.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the 20-year-old forward has penned a new deal with Palace and is now set to complete a loan switch to the Pirelli Stadium.

Brewers boss Martin Paterson has enjoyed a positive start to life in management, having narrowly lost to promotion-chasing Derby and beating Charlton Athletic 2-0.

Premier League loans can often be hit and miss, particularly if it's a youngster's first stint in men's football but there is understandably optimism that the Eagles marksman, who has been in strong form in front of goal at youth level this term, can be a success.

If he can make his mark for Burton, he could be set for another loan come the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

Derby County

Derby are desperate to end their two-year stint in League One.

Paul Warne's side are firmly within the promotion picture, just three points adrift of Portsmouth at the top of the table.

With Barnsley, Peterborough, and Bolton Wanderers also in contention, it promises to be a hotly-contested battle between now and the end of the season.

The Rams' 1-0 defeat to Reading on Tuesday (23 January) highlighted the need for further quality at the top end of the pitch. Sheffield Wednesday's Michael Smith has emerged as an option, with The Sheffield Star reporting the Owls are open to a loan switch.

The 32-year-old might help Derby get over the line, but he certainly isn't a long-term fix.

Warne and the hierarchy at Pride Park would be wise to keep an eye on Ola-Adebomi's progress just 13 miles south. James Collins (33), Conor Washington (31), and Martyn Waghorn (34) are entering the latter stages of their careers; should Derby clinch promotion, a younger mould of player should be targetted and bringing the Eagles' forward in on loan could make a lot of sense.

Sheffield Wednesday should keep an eye on Ola-Adebomi

It's a similar story for Danny Rohl and Sheffield Wednesday. The aforementioned Smith (32), Lee Gregory (35), Callum Paterson (29), and Josh Windass (30) are all in or entering their 30s.

25-year-old Ike Ugbo has made a good impact, with 4 goals and 1 assist, but there is no guarantee that the Canadian will stay beyond his initial loan spell and other than Bailey Cadamarteri, there's little in the way of younger talent.

Should Ola-Adebomi enjoy a positive loan spell with Burton, the logical next step would be a Championship or top-end League One side, which makes Wednesday an excellent fit.

The Owls are five points from safety and are coming off two Championship defeats to Southampton and Coventry. At present, League One football is a genuine possibility come the start of the 2024/25 season.

Rohl has to be looking to rejuvenate Wednesday's striking options. Aging players on high wages is a risky strategy, which can cause financial issues, as everyone at Hillsborough is acutely aware.