Derby County and Norwich City submit offers for 16-goal winger | OneFootball

The two Championship teams are reportedly keen to get a deal over the line for Olaf Kobacki.

Championship duo Derby County and Norwich City have made bids for Arka Gdynia winger Olaf Kobacki, according to a report from Interia Sport.

The 22-year-old spent the early stages of his career at Italian club Atalanta, having previously been on Lech Poznan's books.

However, he didn't spend long there, joining his current side on loan before making his stay permanent, signing a three-year deal back in 2022.

Kobacki was then loaned out to fellow Polish club Miedz Legnica, but was a real asset for Arka during the 2023/24 campaign.

Proving to be a real threat both on the wing and centrally in an attacking midfield role, the wide man played a huge role in guiding the club to a third-placed finish in the Polish second tier.

He could be a real asset for his current side again next year, but he could potentially be on his way to England with a couple of second-tier clubs thought to be keen on the player.

Kobacki may not have been called up to Poland's squad for Euro 2024, preventing him from having the opportunity to impress in Germany, but he has done more than enough back in his home nation to attract interest from elsewhere.

Derby County and Norwich City eyeing Olaf Kobacki move

It's believed that Kobacki's departure is a "foregone conclusion", with the player set to head to the English second tier.

But at this stage, it's currently unclear who is going to win the race for the winger, with both Derby and Norwich submitting bids.

Arka could have given themselves a real chance of holding on to the player if they had won promotion during the 2023/24 campaign, and according to Interia Sport, they had more than a 98% chance of securing a return to the top tier at one point last term, but they were unable to complete the job in the end and that may have all but confirmed his departure.

The Polish side are now in a position where they need to sell their most valuable players, according to the same report.

Atalanta do have the right to buy him back, but they don't look set to activate that option, with an English team closing in on him.

Interia Sport notes that it's harder for Polish players to get a work permit following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, but a move to England is on the cards for Kobacki.

Derby County and Norwich City could benefit from Olaf Kobacki

The Rams have some decent wing options already, with Corey Blackett-Taylor joining permanently and Kayden Jackson looking set to arrive.

However, Kobacki could be a good attacking option to have, with his goalscoring contributions potentially helping to keep the Rams in the second tier for the long term.

More attacking quality is required at Pride Park, so having Kobacki would be a boost for them.

Norwich may also benefit from having another attacking option.

They may have the likes of Gabriel Sara, Josh Sargent, Jonathan Rowe and Adam Idah at their disposal already, but they may require another decent wing option between now and the end of the transfer window.