Derby County should consider move for these 3 Joe Wildsmith upgrades

Joe Wildsmith and Derby County enjoyed an extremely successful 2023/24 campaign, but, the two will part ways this summer. Paul Warne needs to act fast to replace the League One Golden Glove winner.

Wildsmith joined the Rams in 2022, becoming the number one goalkeeper as the club looked to rise from the depths of administration and relegation from the Championship.

However, after 97 appearances and 42 clean sheets for Derby, Wildsmith will be leaving at the end of June. The goalkeeper bid goodbye to fans on social media, calling his two years in the East Midlands “a crazy time”.

His departure has left manager Warne with the monumental task of replacing him and keeping Derby in the Championship next season. Here are three goalkeepers that may be on his radar this summer and are potential second-tier upgrades.

Arthur Okonkwo

The 22-year-old Arsenal ‘keeper spent last season on loan at Wrexham, helping them to promotion from League Two. Despite this, his contract at the Premier League side will not be renewed, making him a free agent.

Okonkwo played a key part in the Red Dragons’ second place finish in the fourth tier in 2023/24, keeping 14 clean sheets in just 36 matches – conceding 30 goals in the process.

At six-foot-six, he offers a physical presence in between the posts that Derby lack with their only contracted goalkeeper, Josh Vickers. He made 49 high claims last term while also preventing 9.5 goals, making him of huge interest to Warne as he looks to continue his side’s impressive defensive record.

The Rams may face tough competition to sign the London-born shot-stopper, however, the pull of Championship football could see them win out over other clubs – including Wrexham, who are interested in retaining his services.

Okonkwo could be the perfect fit for Derby after Wildsmith’s exit. At 22, he has plenty of time to develop, and could well make that number one shirt at Pride Park his for a number of years to come. He was a part of the 2023/24 League Two Team of the Season in just his first full year in professional football and will only get better.

Daniel Iversen

Iversen joined Stoke City on loan back in January from Leicester City, helping the club in their battle against relegation with seven shutouts in 18 games.

With Leicester’s promotion back to the top flight, the former Denmark U21 player is expected to leave the King Power Stadium at the end of June when his contract expires, after making just 17 appearances for the club since joining in 2018.

At 26, he is about to enter his prime years, and will be looking to make his new club a more permanent option. Iversen has been on loan at Oldham Athletic, Rotherham United, Oud-Heverlee Leuven, Preston North End and Stoke – earning him a wealth of experience in a multitude of leagues.

Unlike Wildsmith, the Dane prefers to operate as a sweeper keeper, giving Warne a new option in terms of the style of his defensive outlook next season. A trustworthy pair of hands with a good reputation, Iversen could be a safe option for Derby.

Neil Etheridge

Although Etheridge is at the back end of his career now, his footballing CV speaks for itself. The Philippine international won promotion from the Championship with Cardiff City in 2018, before winning the club’s Player of the Season award the very next year in the Premier League.

It was announced that he will leave Birmingham City this summer, with his contract set to end, and at 34, it could be said that he is too old to be the number one at a club in the second tier one more time. However, Warne has always got the best out of his goalkeepers, and he could be of great use in the Rams’ bid for survival.

Etheridge only played twice for Birmingham last season as they were relegated to League One, but a secondary role at Derby could be vital in the development of younger shot-stoppers – including Okonkwo.

With 18 clean sheets in 70 league matches for Blues, he can be called upon to help when needed, and could be a useful back-up to Vickers if Derby fail on other targets this transfer window.

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