'It would have been great' - Ex-Chelsea starlet admits regret over breakdown of Derby County transfer

QPR full-back Todd Kane has revealed he was a target for Frank Lampard in both transfer windows in 2019, but the Rams' interest disappeared when the manager left for Chelsea

QPR defender Todd Kane has revealed he almost joined Derby County last year.

The right-back, a Chelsea academy graduate, was a target for Frank Lampard's in both the January and summer windows in 2019.

But after Lampard left for Stamford Bridge, Derby’s interest fell by the wayside, and QPR snapped up Kane.

The breakdown of a transfer to Pride Park appears to have disappointed the 26-year-old, who believes it would have been a “great move”.

“I had Sheffield United and Derby County on the table last January,” Kane told Goal. “I was supposed to be moving to Sheffield United but the deal didn’t get done for whatever reason.

“Then, in the summer, Lampard wanted me at Derby before he moved to Chelsea. It would have been an easy decision to go and work with Lampard at Derby. I felt like it would have been a great move for my career, then that was out of the window.

“Then QPR stepped forward.”

Kane has played 29 games in all competitions since moving to Loftus Road, with QPR sat one place and one point behind Derby.

The permanent switch came after eight loan spells away from Chelsea for Kane, who has represented Preston, Blackburn, Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford, and Hull, as well as Dutch sides Nijmegen and Groningen.