Derby County manager Steve McClaren has said that new signing David Nugent will provide the club with vital experience in their fight for promotion from the Championship this season.

The 31-year-old striker signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Rams on Monday, reuniting him with McClaren 10 years after the manager handed him his only cap for England.

Nugent has scored more than 150 goals in club football over the last 15 years and has played in all four divisions of English football, winning promotion to the Premier League with Leicester City and Middlesbrough in recent seasons.

"David is a player that I have long admired. He has great experience, scores goals, gets assists and is a team player," McClaren told the Derby website. "The key thing is that he has been up with Leicester City and Middlesbrough in the past and he knows what it takes. He's a big game player and that's what we need with one or two fit strikers at the present moment. We were a bit short in that area so we needed quality and we've certainly got that with David.

"His record at this level is excellent. We're always looking for that gem, a real diamond, and we will continue to do that - but at this moment we needed experience and someone that could come in and do the job.

"Any centre-back that has played against him will tell you that he is a constant thorn in the side and that's what we want. He's got a real stature to bring to the dressing room. It's very difficult to find players out there who the dressing room will look at and think 'great' in terms of the quality – and we have certainly found one.

"He fits the system and style we want to play. We've watched him and he can do a bit of everything. He can run beyond, he has the pace to do that, but he can also drop in and link up the play too which is vital for us. He is a Derby type of player. He hasn't played for a while so once he gets up to speed fitness wise he will be very good for us."

Nugent joins Derby with the side seventh in the Championship, two points off the playoff places.