Ex-Rangers striker Kemar Roofe has agreed a contract with Derby County until the end of the season.
The 32-year-old Jamaican international striker has been a free agent since leaving Rangers in May but will now look to keep the Rams in the Championship this season.
Rangers paid Anderlecht £4.5m to sign Roofe in the summer of 2020 but the ex-Leeds United striker’s time in Glasgow was plagued with recurring injury problems.
Returning to English football for first time since 2019, Kemar Roofe is determined to get his career back on track after months on the sidelines.
Kemar Roofe ‘wasn’t expecting’ Derby County call
It’s not been easy for Kemar Roofe ever since leaving Rangers with chances few and far between for the former Ibrox striker.
Those years of injury issues finally appeared to have caught up with Roofe, who left alongside a number of underperforming high-earners at Ibrox in the summer.
Roofe has explained that during this period it’s taken a lot of ‘mental strength’ to keep fit and stay focused on playing football.
The ex-Ibrox hitman has also explained that Derby County interest came from out of the blue and he’s just relieved to be back playing football.
”It’s a move that I wasn’t expecting at all from start to finish, but I won’t get into the meat of it because it’s all complicated,” Roofe told Derby County.
”But the final part is the most important and I’m here now and I’m excited to get going.
“It has been all about mental strength, just to getting through what I needed to get through and also having the drive and the focus to stay fit and keep working on myself and keep running every day, keep doing my gym work every day until the opportunity came along and finally it has.”
Cult Rangers hero ‘major influence’ on transfer
Kemar Roofe has also been explaining the role that new Derby County manager John Eustace played in bringing him to Pride Park.
Rangers fans will remember John Eustace as an Ibrox trialist during the reign of Mark Warburton after the Gers had earned promotion to the Scottish Premiership.
Since those days on trial with Rangers, Eustace became something of a cult figure amongst fans who routinely cite the former midfielder is online exchanges about players coming back from injury.
Now, Eustace finds himself back at Derby County after controversially leaving Championship promotion hopefuls Blackburn Rovers in the lurch.
Kemar Roofe has been open in the role Eustace played in ending his post-Rangers exile from football, with the striker now charged with firing Derby up the table.
“This is a massive club,” Roofe explained. Even just coming to the training ground, the facilities speak for themselves.
“The new gaffer was also a major influence on my decision to come here. I have also worked with Keith Downing as my youth team manager, so I know him.
“I’ve come and trained with the squad, the players, the staff, and everybody has made me feel welcome as if I’ve been here for months already.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m always ready. I’ll do my best whenever I’m called upon.”
