Derby County have had an excellent summer transfer window following promotion from League One at the end of last season but there is still room for improvement in Paul Warne’s squad.
The Rams have brought in eight new players, including Corey Blackett-Taylor, whose loan deal became permanent on July 1 after joining the club originally on loan from Charlton Athletic in January.
Ben Osborn, David Ozoh, Kayden Jackson and Kenzo Goudmijn have all had a great impact on the team since their arrival.
Yet, Warne has said on multiple occasions that he wants to bring more depth to the squad, with the striker position a pinpointed issue following a defeat in pre-season to Barnsley.
FLW has taken a look at two players who could improve Derby, and make an impact at Pride Park in 2024/25.
Freddie Ladapo
Freddie Ladapo has constantly been linked with a move to Derby at some point in his career and is possibly a player that has been hinted at by Warne in the last few days.
The 31-year-old is currently playing for Ipswich Town but following promotion to the Premier League, it looks likely that he will be leaving Portman Road at some point this week.
He spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic, scoring once, but was prolific in the division the year before with the Tractor Boys, finding the back of the net 17 times.
Although he is not the most inspiring of potential signings, Derby are not in the position to splash out millions on a striker, and the former Rotherham United man could be a decent back-up for Jerry Yates and James Collins.
His experience in the game will also be useful for the development of Dajaune Brown, and Ladapo could act as a mentor to the 19-year-old as the Rams look for a successful end to the summer transfer window.
Liam Cooper
Liam Cooper is currently without a club after his Leeds United deal expired at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, and while there is not a rush to beat the August 30 deadline, there could be competition from other clubs if Derby are to go in for the centre-back.
At 32, he is not exactly at the age that Warne will want in his squad, however, his experience in both the Premier League and Championship could be crucial to the Rams.
Watford have previously shown interest in Cooper, as per Leeds Live, while Portsmouth have been one of the most recent clubs to take a look at the 32-year-old, but nothing concrete has been set in place yet.
| Liam Cooper’s 2023/24 Leeds United Championship Stats (Sofascore) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 15 |
| Starts | 8 |
| Average Minutes | 47 |
| Passing Accuracy (%) | 90% |
| Clean Sheets | 2 |
| Duels Won (%) | 57% |
Derby are lacking cover in the centre-back position and Eiran Cashin’s injury has only added further punishment to an already small squad.
Although he would not start for the Rams, Cooper has always been a player who can come in and out of a team without the need to get up to speed and could be a smart signing for Warne.
