Jerry Yates is optimistic ahead of the 2024/25 Championship season after comparing Derby County to Ipswich Town.
Derby County are on the way to transform their squad ahead of the new Championship campaign.
There was a large list of departures from Pride Park following Derby County’s promotion from League One in the 2023/24 season, including the likes of Conor Hourihane and Korey Smith, both of which played a significant role in midfield for Paul Warne’s side.
Warne has since brought in Dutch midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn, as well as it looking more likely that Ebou Adams will return to Pride Park following last season’s successful loan spell from Cardiff City.
Attackers Kayden Jackson and Jerry Yates have also arrived at Derby County, giving Warne Championship goal scoring prowess ahead of the new season.
Yates, who has signed on loan from Swansea City, has made a bold claim ahead of the new campaign, comparing the current Derby County side new Premier League outfit Ipswich Town.
Jerry Yates says Derby County have ‘similar attributes’ to promotion winning Ipswich Town side
Former Swansea City and Blackpool striker Yates has drawn up comparisons to the Rams with Kiernan McKenna’s Ipswich Town side that achieved promotion to the Premier League in the 2023/24 season.
Speaking to Derbyshire Live, Yates said: “I’ve worked hard in the off-season and I am ready to get started.
“I am looking to help the boys and help them win games. I’ll see where the season takes us.
“Ipswich went back to back and won promotion. I look at their team and there was a lot of togetherness and I see similar attributes in our dressing room too so why not?”
Could Paul Warne’s Derby County do an ‘Ipswich’
Ipswich Town became just the fifth club to achieve a double-promotion to the Premier League from League One, doing so by spending less than £5m on transfers across the season.
They managed to compete with the likes of Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton throughout the 2023/24 campaign, but would Derby County be able to follow up that achievement.
Signings have been positive so far for Warne, who is rightfully targeting several more signings before the transfer window closes.
He must sort out the on-going goalkeeper predicament, with Joe Wildsmith moving on to Championship rivals West Brom.
After a few more signings across the park, Derby County could easily compete in the higher echelons of the league table.
There is no underestimating the significance of a ‘togetherness’ and chemistry between players in a dressing room. It would be an incredibly tall order for any side to repeat the incredible fate of Ipswich Town, let alone Derby County, however if Warne’s side are able to continue the momentum of last season into the new campaign, they could easily surprise a few.