Transfer news: Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool will have to pay £12m for Derby County midfielder Will Hughes

Rams determined to keep midfielder who is wanted by several Premier League clubs

Will Hughes of Derby County battles with Chris Cohen of Nottingham Forest (Getty Images)

Derby County will ask for at least £12m from clubs for their England U21 midfielder Will Hughes.

Hughes has been scouted by a host of Premier League clubs over the past few months including Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

However the Rams would desperately like to keep hold of their exciting prospect for at least the rest of the season.

While Derby's owners have so far refused to place an exact price on Hughes, it is thought that they will not listen to any offers below £12m.

The club is said to feel that their player is worth a similar amount to Wilfried Zaha who joined Manchester United last year for a fee of £10m - rising to £15m depending on clauses.

With Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, among others, big fans of Hughes, Derby manager Steve McClaren is resigned to losing the midfielder at some stage:

"Our job is to make sure he makes it.

"Eventually he will be too good. What we need behind that is players coming through to replace him."