Chesterfield are believed to have made a bid for young Ilkeston Town striker Tom Cursons.

The 23-year-old has already scored 23 goals in all competitions for the fourth-placed Northern Premier League club this season, including netting a nine-minute hat-trick on New Year’s Day.

Cursons is out of contract this summer so the Robins risk losing him for free at the end of the season. His goalscoring record this campaign has reportedly attracted interest from Derby County, Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Peterborough United.

A move to the Spireites would make sense location-wise and manager Paul Cook has taken punts on young non-league players from the area before such as Bailey Hobson and Jesurun Uchegbulam.

placeholder image — Ilkeston Town striker Tom Cursons.

Cursons has said he wants to play full-time professional football but also doesn’t want to sit on the bench and ‘stunt’ his progress. In an interview last November with the Northern Premier League, he explained: “Ilkeston are aware that I want to play full-time football. I’m still in that age bracket where it can still happen, but I need to make sure it’s the right move at this stage of my career.

“I don’t want to go somewhere, sit on the bench for a year and stunt my progress. I know I can’t just jump as soon as I see a full-time contract in front of me. It’s quite weird really, as you dream of playing full-time, but when push comes to shove you always have to think whether it’s the right move at that time.”

He bagged twice on Saturday in a 4-2 win against Morpeth Town and there were apparently a number of scouts there watching him.

Speaking about him after the victory at the weekend, Ilkeston boss Ian Deakin said: “His goalscoring record speaks for itself. He is a constant threat for any team that he plays against with his ability to play off both feet, his pace and his power. He is a proper number nine. His game has come on so much and I think he is a real talent.”

Last Friday Cook said that ‘more’ signings were on the way and then after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Grimsby Town Danny Webb revealed that one or two additions could be added early this week.

The transfer window closes on February 3. Chesterfield are back in action on Saturday at home to Port Vale.