Derby County should have luckless ex-Portsmouth player as one man on their free agent radar

Derby County found success in the free agent market in the summer, and may hope to attempt that once again in the coming months.

Although the Rams do currently have a full squad of 25, movement in the January window will open up spaces for more incomings, and with the quality of the players that they have brought in for free already, it may not come as a surprise if they do the same again.

Ben Osborn and Kayden Jackson were brought to Pride Park following the expiration of their contracts at the end of last season, and have already had an impact on the team, while the likes of Curtis Nelson, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Ryan Nyambe have been free acquisitions over the last couple of years that have become a part of the core side.

Derby do have areas of the pitch that do need strengthening, and injuries have shown a lack of depth in certain positions, so Football League World has taken a look at three current free agents who could be on Paul Warne’s radar going forward.

Brandon Williams

Callum Elder’s injury against Sheffield United has shown that Derby do need more cover at left-back, with Craig Forsyth the only current option to take up the position due to Ben Osborn being needed in the midfield.

Brandon Williams played 15 games for Ipswich Town last season before an injury forced him back to parent club Manchester United to see out his recovery. However, he was later released by the Premier League giants and has been a free agent ever since.

Although his wage demands could be relatively high, if the Rams can convince him to drop those, and make space for him, then they have a player that still has a very good future in football if he works hard.

At 24, he is at the perfect age to develop further, and if he can get over his fitness issues, then Derby and Paul Warne could have the perfect cover at left-back for the future through a player that has a decent amount of experience in both the Championship and top flight.

Adam Reach

Adam Reach himself is perhaps surprised that he is still a free agent considering his pedigree in the Championship, having racked up 375 appearances in the division over the course of his career so far.

The 31-year-old still has a few years left in him before retirement will start to be considered, and with his versatility, he could be a fantastic option for Derby.

Able to play as a left-midfielder or as a left-back, he yet again provides that cover on that flank that is needed if the Rams want to push themselves up the division as the league table starts to take shape over the course of the next few months.

Reach played 19 times for West Bromwich Albion last season in all competitions, including both legs of the play-off semi-finals in which the Baggies were beaten by Southampton.

His injury issues could be a cause for concern for Warne if he is to take a chance on the former Sheffield Wednesday player, but a supporting role could be perfect for both parties.

Joe Morrell

27-year-old Joe Morrell missed out of Portsmouth’s promotion party on the pitch after he required knee surgery in February after part of the cartilage chipped off in Pompey’s 2-2 draw with Oxford United.

Released in the summer with it unknown how long he was going to take to recover, the Wales international is still available on a free and could be a fantastic option for the Rams looking ahead.

A defensive midfielder, Morrell could be the talented option that Derby need in that position on the bench in case of any further injuries. David Ozoh’s hamstring issue has shown that, once past Ebou Adams, Warne does not have too many alternatives without changing the foundation that the team is built on.

Before his season ended early, he had registered a pass accuracy of 86.3%, while also proving his worth defensively, winning 38 tackles. He was the perfect block in front of Portsmouth’s defence, and was a miss after his injury. The 27-year-old is someone that is definitely worth taking on board if he gets back to full fitness, and the Rams make room for him in the squad.

 

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