Derby County Looking For Potential Loan Move This Summer

Derby County are keen to bolster their squad during the upcoming summer transfer window and will begin working on a deal for a midfielder, according to the latest reports.

The Rams are back in the Championship after two years in League One but will now need to strengthen certain areas of the team in an attempt to survive in a stronger division. Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, who kept the most clean sheets in England’s third tier in the 2023/24 campaign, is set to leave the club once his contract expires at the end of the month. One of the main priorities for the club will be to find a new number ‘1’ after the former Sheffield Wednesday star departs.

Viktor Johansson was a key target for head coach Paul Warne, having signed the Swedish shot-stopper back in 2020 during his time in charge of Rotherham United. Johansson reportedly had a release clause of £1 million but it was Stoke City who were the quickest to pull the trigger, tying Johansson down to a three-year contract at the Bet365 Stadium.

Another area that needs bolstering is in the middle of the park. Journalist Alan Nixon has stated that Derby County are currently looking to sign a midfielder this summer, possibly on loan and one with low wages that the club can afford, although he doesn’t name any potential targets.

One man who is wanted back at Pride Park is Ebou Adams, who spent the second half of the season in Derbyshire on loan from Championship side Cardiff City. In a 2-0 victory over Carlisle United on the final day to earn promotion, the Gambia international earned the Man of the Match award whilst fans chanted “sign him up” from the stands.

Adams would be the perfect signing for Derby County, even if he joins on a temporary basis once more. The 28-year-old became a fan favourite at Pride Park and has enough quality to play in the second tier but he also knows the team very well which would make him an ideal acquisition.

However, when Adams moved to Cardiff in 2022, he missed the entire 2022/23 campaign with injury problems and went on to make merely 13 appearances for the Bluebirds under Erol Bulut during the first half of last season. Perhaps the Welsh outfit are willing to hold onto him for the time being to give him one more chance to prove himself before his contract expires in the summer of 2025.

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