Derby boss Nigel Clough hopes to take a second look at John Rooney before deciding whether to bid for the Macclesfield striker.

Rooney has been training with the Rams this week but a scheduled outing for the reserves against Sheffield United on Wednesday was postponed due to the weather.

The 19-year-old impressed Clough in training but he wants to see the youngster in a match before making a firm decision. He hopes Macclesfield will allow Rooney to return to Pride Park next week to be assessed again.

"Macclesfield are preparing for their game on Saturday and I would have thought John would be in the squad for that. We'll see if we can get him back for the reserve game next Wednesday," Clough told the Derby Evening Telegraph.

"We have to see him in a game now but he has looked okay in training. We can see he has got something. He is only 19, so we will have to assess if he is going to be knocking on the door next season if we take him.

"Is he as good as Ben Pringle and some of the younger players we have got coming through, like Jeff Hendrick and Ryan Connolly? We will try to assess that in a game next week."