The Derby boss is prepared to offer pounds 1million for Fulham's Welsh international, who has failed to hold down a first-team place at Craven Cottage this season.

	Kit Symons

In spite of Jean Tigana's decision to leave Symons on the bench he has been reluctant to sell him - and he has not been short of offers.

Nottingham Forest had an pounds 800,000 bid turned down, Symons' former club Pompey made a pounds 850,000 offer and West Ham's bid to take him on loan also failed.

Smith nurtured Symons on the South Coast before eventually making him captain. He was later sold to Manchester City for pounds 1.8million but, after a great first season, lost his way at Maine Road.

Amazingly, he was signed by Kevin Keegan on a free transfer for Fulham and revived his career under the current England boss.

But this season he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by, with Tigana preferring the central partnership of Andy Melville and Chris Coleman.

Smith hopes to open talks with Fulham tomorrow and feels he might have better luck taking the player to Pride Park than other fruitless attempts to sign him this season.