Rams boss Billy Davies has stopped bleating about his vacant assistant manager's position long enough to realise that his side possess nowhere near the sort of firepower need to take on the English elite, and has decided that Wales hotshot Earnshaw would be the perfect foil for Steve Howard.
Ironically, then Norwich manager Nigel Worthington decided much the same thing a year ago, only to decide that Howard, then at Luton Town, was overpriced.
Reports suggest that Derby are preparing to spunk as much as £5million on Earnshaw, whose goalscoring record since his £3.25million move to Norwich has been superb. Recent investment in the Canaries was said to have staved off the need to sell the likes of Earnie, but a large bid is likely to prove too good to turn down.