Nigeria-born star dumps Rooney and Derby for Udinese

Derby County Coach Wayne Rooney has confirmed that the club hotshot Festy Ebosele will join Serie A side Udinese on a free transfer in the latest blow to the Rams.

The cash-strapped Championship side have seen their squad ransacked in recent months.

And a clearly frustrated Rooney has revealed the Rams are set to lose another top talent this summer.

Ebosele, 19, has played 31 times for Derby in all competitions this season, scoring twice.

Rooney has revealed the Irish right-back will join a 'team in Italy', with transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio confirming Udinese are the club in question.

Rooney said: "Festy Ebosele within the next week will sign for a team in Italy.

"I think there will be some announcement next week.

"It is purely out of my control. I would have liked him to stay.

"I spoke to him. I know he would have liked to have stayed.

"But where we are at, I can't offer him anything, the club can't offer him anything."

A disgruntled Rooney continued: "He has made a decision to look after his family and himself, which I respect.

"But I would have liked to have been in a position where we could have done something, but unfortunately we can't.

"The situation we are in now is where I didn't want the club to be.

"Unfortunately, we are. I can't control that that is above me.

"For the club's future, I just hope things get sorted soon”.