Derby tell Bournemouth to double transfer fee and pay up front in Tom Lawrence chase

Bournemouth have been told to double their bid for Derby captain Tom Lawrence by the Rams’ administrators who want cash upfront.

Administrators Quantuma are running the Championship club while they wait to sort a takeover.

They are planning further sales before the deadline shuts to bring in enough cash to keep the club afloat.

Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie left earlier this month and youngster Dylan Williams has joined Chelsea.

Bournemouth are now in talks to sign Derby skipper Lawrence, who is out of contract in the summer.

The Cherries are understood to be offering £250,000 upfront but Derby want £500,000 as a lump sum.

Derby’s administrators need all the cash upfront to meet costs at Pride Park.

They say it is no use to them in the short-term if the payments are staggered to spread the cost.

It is increasingly likely Lawrence will swap a relegation battle for a promotion push with Bournemouth but negotiations could drag on until deadline day.

It is a huge blow to boss Wayne Rooney who has given the club a fighting chance of staying up despite being deducted 21 points.

But club officials have stressed the importance of getting Lawrence’s wages off the books as the star earns nearly £30,000-a-week after joining on a five-year deal from Premier League Leicester in 2017.

Welsh international and ex-Manchester United trainee Lawrence,28, has been one of Derby’s key performers this term.

He has eight goals and three assists to spearhead Derby’s battle for survival.

But vultures have been alerted to his availability and that of other stars after the EFL put Derby under a transfer embargo and put a block on new contracts.

Stars attracting interest include veteran defender Curtis Davies,36, who has four goals in 28