Gary Rowett has discussed whether signing foreign players in the Championship is a risk, speaking to The Football League Paper.

Jon Toral, a member of the Arsenal academy, was one of a number of players Rowett brought to Birmingham during his time at the club. Now manager of Derby, the former defender has been talking about the madness of the current transfer market.

Although he agreed that the current fees have grown to ridiculously high levels, Rowett didn’t follow the idea that buying foreign players was any more of a risk than signing five players who already play in the Championship.

Gary gave Jon Toral as an example, saying in the article The Football League Paper on Sunday 20th August: “Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with that (signing foreign players).

“Jon Toral, a young Spanish lad on loan from Arsenal, won the player of the year award. If they’ve got the quality and adapt to the culture, great.”

Toral played 38 games for Birmingham during his loan spell in 2015/16, and scored eight goals, as well as providing four assists, playing mostly from an attacking midfield position.

Still under contract at Arsenal until 2018, after a couple of slightly less successful spells at Granada and Rangers in the last campaign, Toral will likely be looking to sort out what’s next for his career.

The Spanish midfielder is now 22, so if a loan move presents itself he’d be best off taking it and continuing to try and prove himself in the senior game. With Rowett clearly holding the player in high regard, perhaps a move to Derby could be on the cards.