Norwich and Fulham face transfer tussle for 28-year-old as new club enter race | OneFootball

Derby County captain Tom Lawrence has been linked with a surprising move to the United States and Major League Soccer (MLS).

According to Football Insider, Sporting Kansas City have joined the race to secure the 28-year-old’s signature this summer.

Lawrence’s contract expires at Derby County next month, and following their relegation to League One it is widely expected that he will leave the club this summer as a free-agent.

The left-winger scored 11 goals and registered five assists in 38 Championship appearances this campaign.

In recent days, we have seen the likes of Fulham and Bournemouth linked with the Welshman, with Norwich and Burnley also said to be interested, as per Football Insider.

If he were to head to the United States, Lawrence would be required to hit the ground running given that MLS is already underway for 2022.

At present, Sporting Kansas sit 13th and second from bottom in the Western Conference having won just two of their 12 matches so far.

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There would be a familiar face in Kansas, too, with Lawrence’s former Derby County teammate Johnny Russell also playing for the MLS side.

The two were brief teammates with the Rams after Lawrence joined the club in 2017 and Russell did not leave until the following January.

The Verdict

This has certainly thrown a curveball into the mix regarding Tom Lawrence’s future.

The 28-year-old seemed destined for a move to a club in the top two English tiers, but there are some interesting options out there elsewhere now, too.

We have seen Belgian side Anderlecht credited with an interest recently, and now a move to the United States could be on the cards.

It would be a totally new path for Lawrence should he take either move, but at 28-years-old and after five years at Derby, something different may be what the Welshman is after.