Derby County have made no progress with regards to tying Martyn Waghorn down to a new deal, according to a fresh report regarding the striker.

The Lowdown: Waghorn future up in the air

The Rams managed to retain their Championship status by the skin of their teeth last season, staying up on the final day of the campaign.

They have a host of out-of-contract players in their ranks, however, one of whom is Waghorn, who will be allowed to leave at the end of this month.

The 31-year-old has scored 30 goals and registered 13 assists in 123 appearances for Derby, proving to be a key man at Pride Park and being described as ‘absolutely excellent’ by journalist Ryan Conway.

The Latest: Fresh update provided

Now, The Athletic have given an update on Waghorn’s situation, saying the Rams are no closer to persuading the Englishman to sign a new contract.

The update suggests he sees his future lying away from Derby, potentially eyeing up a move elsewhere this summer.

The Verdict: Derby must stand firm

While Waghorn may not necessarily be an irreplaceable figure for Derby, he is still an important player who would certainly be missed.

He weighed in with five goals and four assists in a tough season last time around and he possesses a huge amount of Championship experience, netting 75 times in the competition overall.

At 31, he should still have a few years left in him at the top, so Wayne Rooney needs to do all he can to retain his striker’s services.

In other news, Derby are believed to be in the race to sign an established international player. Find out who it is here.