As the curtain begins to close on 2024, Derby County can look back at the year with pride and greet the new year with plenty of optimism.
Sitting comfortably in mid-table of the Championship after delivering a promotion for the first time in 17 years back in May, they are on course to achieve their next objective of surviving their first year back in the second tier. But there is always room for improvement and the January transfer window will present them with the chance to fine-tune a squad that requires some extra firepower.
Derby’s head coach, Paul Warne, has done an excellent job of making them competitive but has expressed a desire to add more goals across the team and not just in the guise of a new number nine. All attacking options, whether from out wide or midfield, are under review.
But in order to give his squad a January refit, players will have to leave first, given that the club has already reached its 25-man squad limit. Conor Washington is a good bet to leave the club in the New Year. The forward has yet to kick a ball in the Championship this season, and he has not even made the squad, having played here and there for the under-21s. There should be no shortage of takers in League One or Two and that will leave room for Derby to sign a replacement.
The loan of Tawanda Chirewa will also be one to watch, even though he has appeared in the last two games as a substitute. Once Ben Osborn and Liam Thompson return from injury, it’s hard to see how he will make the squad. It is important to stress that it is not through the player’s own making but a spell on the sidelines earlier in the season has hampered his opportunities. And if he is not going to be a regular fixture, there is little point continuing a deal from which nobody is reaping the benefit.
That would at least give Warne some flexibility to add another loan given he already has Nat Phillips, Marcus Harness, David Ozoh, and Jerry Yates on loan and only five are permitted in any matchday squad.
Chirewa and Washington look like the most obvious candidates for an exit, which will then leave Derby free to concentrate on the positions they want to strengthen. There had been talk of the club looking for a right-back given Ryan Nyambe’s injury. However, his return, which is expected at the end of January, allied with the form of Kane Wilson may see a change in stance.
But what is undoubtedly under consideration are the forward areas. They are still huge admirers of Ipswich forward Ali Al-Hamadi, and that is a situation they will want to monitor closely as they head into the New Year.
The striker has been on Warne’s radar since he first came to Derby and while Al-Hamadi has been used by Ipswich this season, it has only been as a very late substitute. Interestingly, the player himself is represented by Wasserman, the same agency firm that looks after the interests of Derby’s head coach and that could make for a smooth deal if the striker is allowed to depart.
Derby’s hierarchy will back Warne in the market although any outlay will be made in keeping with the club’s sensible financial prudence. The Sporting Intelligence unit heads recruitment and Derby are more than aware that the strike force is among the priorities.
Derby have explored European centre forwards, and it is a market that has been productive given the success of Kenzo Goudmijn and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who have settled in well to the rigours of the Championship after their arrival from Holland and Sweden, respectively. It is also cheaper than the domestic one, and that could throw up a surprise in what is going to be an important month.