English Championship club Derby County have confirmed they would let Robbie Savage leave if he wanted to accept an offer from MLS expansion franchise Vancouver Whitecaps.

The former Wales international has emerged as a strong target for the Whitecaps who are currently in pursuit of a number of a big-name players with plenty of European experience.

Savage revealed last week that the Whitecaps had made him an offer and said he was seriously considering it. Now he has been given permission by Derby to leave, especially as he is out of contract at the end of the season.

"If he went, he would go with our blessing," Derby coach Nigel Clough has told the Derby Telegraph.

"It would be a great opportunity for him but he has got a lot of thinking to do in terms of his media career and whether he wants to keep playing in England."

The 36-year old midfielder was adamant that the next step was simply to make a decision on where he was going to play next but Vancouver president Bob Lenarduzzi said that the former Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City man was one of a few players the club was looking at.

"Robbie Savage is a player amongst a number of players we are talking to at this time," said Lenarduzzi. "We're nowhere near that far down the road."