Who would you sign?

[Uptherams]

First player I would try and sign is Bakary Sako. He is out of contract this summer.

Nouha Dicko will only have 1 year left on his deal. I would go for him. 

Next I would try and get Andre Wisdom. Tom Ince too. These two would be the hardest to sign, but if we could have them here as our players it would do us a world of good.

Next up would be Zac Clough. I view him as the Bryson replacement.

Considering our pool of talent in the U21 side, I would then only see three positions where we need to sign someone. That Chris Martin backup, a CB and an LB. I think that we could manage with Forsyth and Warnock. Forsyth has just had one of those seasons. Having a stable CB pairing and DM will do him a world of good. 

Who specifically as the CB. I am unsure yet.

If we can, the striker incoming would be Benik Afobe. But I think he would cost at least £3m. 

Roughly 7 incoming there. Total cost would be around £10m. The extra expenditure I think could be offset by getting rid of the dead weight and 2/3/4 sales. There is concern that we will sell Hughes this summer. If we do, I would hope we get a loan back for the season. But that money can be put towards these signings. 

[ChaddesdenRam]

First player I would try and sign is Bakary Sako. He is out of contract this summer.

Nouha Dicko will only have 1 year left on his deal. I would go for him. 

Next I would try and get Andre Wisdom. Tom Ince too. These two would be the hardest to sign, but if we could have them here as our players it would do us a world of good.

Next up would be Zac Clough. I view him as the Bryson replacement.

Considering our pool of talent in the U21 side, I would then only see three positions where we need to sign someone. That Chris Martin backup, a CB and an LB. I think that we could manage with Forsyth and Warnock. Forsyth has just had one of those seasons. Having a stable CB pairing and DM will do him a world of good. 

Who specifically as the CB. I am unsure yet.

If we can, the striker incoming would be Benik Afobe. But I think he would cost at least £3m. 

Roughly 7 incoming there. Total cost would be around £10m. The extra expenditure I think could be offset by getting rid of the dead weight and 2/3/4 sales. There is concern that we will sell Hughes this summer. If we do, I would hope we get a loan back for the season. But that money can be put towards these signings. 

I think that is one of the most unrealistic who to signs I have seen if I am being brutally honest.

Sakho on a free - a premier league club would take a gamble on him surely. 

Wisdom - played for a premier league club this season, him coming to us would be a step backwards in his career. No chance. 

Ince - surely we can't afford him now we are in the championship. There are limits to how much we can spend. We pushed the boat out for Thorne I think Ince if the reported figure of 4-5 million is correct we just can't expect that transfer to happen. 

Zac Clough - I bet Bolton fans rate him just as much as we rated Hughes a season after he had played regularly. Bolton would be expecting a hefty bid for him to go. 

Benick Afobe - literally just signed for Wolves for a considerable fee. No chance unless we pay over the odds for him. And why would he come here? He's not even guaranteed to play. 

Then a CB a LB? 

"Roughly 10 million spent there" you have said. Can be offset by player sales, how?

who do you think is the deadwood and how on earth is 2/3/4 player sales covering that expenditure. I have looked through the squad and see Sammon could be sold. Other than that all the other players made a contribution this season. 

 

[RamFan13]

the striker incoming would be Benik Afobe. But I think he would cost at least £3m. 

No chance.​

[Uptherams]

I think that is one of the most unrealistic who to signs I have seen if I am being brutally honest.

Sakho on a free - a premier league club would take a gamble on him surely. 

Wisdom - played for a premier league club this season, him coming to us would be a step backwards in his career. No chance. 

Ince - surely we can't afford him now we are in the championship. There are limits to how much we can spend. We pushed the boat out for Thorne I think Ince if the reported figure of 4-5 million is correct we just can't expect that transfer to happen. 

Zac Clough - I bet Bolton fans rate him just as much as we rated Hughes a season after he had played regularly. Bolton would be expecting a hefty bid for him to go. 

Benick Afobe - literally just signed for Wolves for a considerable fee. No chance unless we pay over the odds for him. And why would he come here? He's not even guaranteed to play. 

Then a CB a LB? 

"Roughly 10 million spent there" you have said. Can be offset by player sales, how?

who do you think is the deadwood and how on earth is 2/3/4 player sales covering that expenditure. I have looked through the squad and see Sammon could be sold. Other than that all the other players made a contribution this season. 

 

​I will be more clear. Some of the expenditure could be offset by getting rid of the deadwood and some player sales. It entirely would be through one sale that we are all anticipating. Will Hughes. Ince if sold will not cost 5 million. He is out of contract in 1 year. Take a look at Wisdom. Last 2 seasons he spent out on loan. Do you think he will be in the Liverpool squad next season...I don't. That means either another loan or he leaves. Not everyone wants to be a bit part player for a PL side that can easily get relegated next season, what ever club you or anyone else may think which club this will be.

Other clubs will be looking at Sakho. Doesn't mean we can't. He will be leaving Wolves and Dicko is a realistic target. If both go I can't imagine Afobe will want to stick around. Clough may be tough. 2 year deal left. Do you think he will want to stick around at Bolton. He has only played 7 league games. £1.5 - £2m. 

I challenge anyone to come up with a better more realistic list. We have spent all season saying can't believe we managed to sign this and that player on loan or permanent and keep others. Just because those are the players I would like to come, doesn't mean I think we are capable of signing all of them. 

[-JW-]

Might as well go and support Wolves 

[mcsilks]

This 'deadwood' that you refer to. Which players are talking about?

If we out the entire Derby squad up for sale, I cannot see many clubs offering a deal of cash for any of them with the exception of Hughes, Martin and possibly Hendrick. The rest...I don't think we'd raise 3M collectively for the lot of them.

Clubs don't tend to pay fees nowadays and if they do, they're very small. Contracts are bought out, players are released from lengthy contracts and so on.

I cannot see Martin staying another season as he has earned his chance to play at a higher level and possibly Hughes if a Premiership club is willing to take a gamble on whether his potential will mean he'll ever become good enough to play at a higher level.

I hope we look to our youth and keep the signings to a minimum.

[Hiltonram052332]

Think this the real danger at the moment with the McClaren saga. We are talking about players we think would be good additions but are we considering under what manager we have?

For example if McClaren was to stay I would imagine full bill of fitness we would return to the 433 formations which for me would mean we would need to sign: 1 GK (Roos obviously isn't enough competition for Grant, and we don't trust him to be good enough otherwise wouldn't have brought in Butland on loan) 1 RB, 1 CB, 1 LB, 1 CDM, 1 CM, 1 CF, 1 maybe 2 wingers. Then we should move on Whitbread (never fit), 1 of the LB's, Sammon. 

However if a different manager came in lets just say Dyche for example I would guess he would change our set up 2 442 meaning a lot of changes as we don't necessarily have a squad built to play that formation.

So think it is very difficult to judge who we need what areas we need to strengthen till the managerial situation is resolved. Except either was we know we need 1 CB, RB at least.

[Uptherams]

This 'deadwood' that you refer to. Which players are talking about?

If we out the entire Derby squad up for sale, I cannot see many clubs offering a deal of cash for any of them with the exception of Hughes, Martin and possibly Hendrick. The rest...I don't think we'd raise 3M collectively for the lot of them.

Clubs don't tend to pay fees nowadays and if they do, they're very small. Contracts are bought out, players are released from lengthy contracts and so on.

I cannot see Martin staying another season as he has earned his chance to play at a higher level and possibly Hughes if a Premiership club is willing to take a gamble on whether his potential will mean he'll ever become good enough to play at a higher level.

I hope we look to our youth and keep the signings to a minimum.

​​The difference between deadwood and selling players is that the deadwood are players we have no real intention of playing and haven't really been in the plans. Where as the player sales are those who have played a significant number of matches over the last season or two or three, etc. Either way I expect a significant outlay on signing players. The more that can be offset by selling players and getting rid of deadwood the better. This season on permanent and loan signings we spent a great deal. Around £5m+. While only selling Coutts for how ever little it was. 

[Inglorius]

If you include Sammon in the "deadwood" how many clubs can you see putting in for him never mind for a transfer fee? My fear for next season is having a rapidly spiralling wage bill outstripping our income with players as you class deadwood that we won't be able to shift 

[davenportram]

To aid discussion hers the current squad with contract dates. SOme expire this summer

 

DERBY COUNTY SQUAD Contracts 

Green = Loans in

Red = Loans out

 

Keepers

Ross Etheridge……………...2015? (joined from academy in 2013)

Mats Morch. ……………...…..2015 (joined 2013)

Jonathan Mitchell………....….2015 (joined 2014)

Kelle Roos………………...….2016 (joined 2014)

Lee Grant……………….....….2017 (joined 2013)

Full Backs
Lee Naylor………………...…..2015 (joined 2013 new deal 2014)

Rhys Sharpe ……………..….2016 (joined from academy in  2014)

Cyrus Christie……………..….2017 (joined 2014)

Isak Ssewankambo.……....…2017 (joined Jan 2015)

Stephen Warnock………..…..2017 (joined Jan 2015 plus 1 year option)

Craig Forsyth…………………2018 (joined 2013 - extension 2014)

Centre Halves
 

Mark O'brien ……………...…2015 ( from academy)

Tom Naylor.   ………………...2015 (joined 2012)

Zak Whitbread. ………...……2015 + 1 year (joined 2014)

Josh Lelan..……………....…2015 (joined from academy in 2013)

Farrend Rawson…………....2016 (joined from academy in 2014)

Ryan Shotton. ……………....2017 (joined 2014)

Raul Albentosa. ……………2017 (joined Jan 2015)

Jake Buxton  ………….……2017 (joined 2009 Extension  2014)

Richard Keogh……………..2018 (joined 2012 Extension  2014)

Midfield
John Eustace……………....2015 (joined 2013 new deal 2014

Jamie Hanson …………….2015 (joined from academy in 2013)

Luke Hendrie………………2016 (joined from academy in 2014)

Callum Guy…………….…2016 (joined from academy Jan 2015)

Alban Bunjaku……………..2016 (joined 2014)

Alefe Santos ………......….2016 + 1 year option (joined 2014)

Ivan Calero   ……………....2016 +1 year option (joined 2014)

Tom Koblenz ………....…..2016 (joined 2014)

Jamie Ward   ………….....2016 (joined 2011 extension 2014)

Simon Dawkins………….2016 (joined 2013)

George Thorne…………..2018 (joined 2014)

Jeff Hendrick……………..2018 (from academy extension signed 2014)

Will Hughes…………..…..2018 (from academy extension 2014)

Craig Bryson. …………...2019 (joined 2011 extension 2014)

Strikers
Mason Bennett……………….2018 (from academy extension 2014)

Conor Sammon........................2016 (joined 2013)

Shaquille McDonald …………2016 ( joined 2014)

Kwame Thomas……….…….2016 (joined from academy in 2014)

Johnny Russell…………..…...2017 (joined 2013)

Offande Zanzala……………..2017 (joined 2015)

Chris Martin………………….2018 (joined 2013 extension  2014)

 

[Anon]

Next up would be Zac Clough. I view him as the Bryson replacement.

​They don't play in the same position.

[Uptherams]

​They don't play in the same position.

​The old Bryson we love and know did. A central attacking midfielder. Clough is not a striker. 

[-JW-]

Delle Ali on loan.

[DEL]

Tom Ince

Darren Bent

Jesse Lingard 

Omar Mascarell

2 or 3 players unknown from Europe/South America. 

 

[ChaddesdenRam]

​I will be more clear. Some of the expenditure could be offset by getting rid of the deadwood and some player sales. It entirely would be through one sale that we are all anticipating. Will Hughes. Ince if sold will not cost 5 million. He is out of contract in 1 year. Take a look at Wisdom. Last 2 seasons he spent out on loan. Do you think he will be in the Liverpool squad next season...I don't. That means either another loan or he leaves. Not everyone wants to be a bit part player for a PL side that can easily get relegated next season, what ever club you or anyone else may think which club this will be.

Other clubs will be looking at Sakho. Doesn't mean we can't. He will be leaving Wolves and Dicko is a realistic target. If both go I can't imagine Afobe will want to stick around. Clough may be tough. 2 year deal left. Do you think he will want to stick around at Bolton. He has only played 7 league games. £1.5 - £2m. 

I challenge anyone to come up with a better more realistic list. We have spent all season saying can't believe we managed to sign this and that player on loan or permanent and keep others. Just because those are the players I would like to come, doesn't mean I think we are capable of signing all of them. 

Ok if we are selling Will Hughes fair enough that helps out a considerable amount. 

Ince. i agree the fee would not be 5 million but it would still be a lot. 

Wisdom. If you had the choice between Derby and a low end premier league side it would be a no brainer. I just can't see that one happening at all.

Sakho by all means we can have a look but I doubt we will be able to compete with premier league clubs. He will be leaving Wolves I agree.

​Zach Clough scored 6 goals in 10 games then had an injury that kept him out for the rest of the season. Certainly Bolton will feel he is worth more than 1-2 million given the inflated prices at the moment. 

You say "We have spent all season saying can't believe we managed to sign this and that player on loan or permanent and keep others"

I was not surprised by any of the signings we made and I could certainly believe them when they happened. As for keeping players. Once one of them had signed it was only a matter of time that Forsyth, Buxton, Hendrick, Martin, Keogh, Grant and Ward signed new deals. 

Thorne - It was always going to happen given the fee was less than 3 million and the player wanted out. 

Bent - Was at Brighton on loan, Derby was just a little step up from them.

Ince - Failed on loan at Forest, we gave him a chance when he wasn't even kicking a ball at Hull.

Lingard - This was probably the only one that surprised me when I heard the deal had gone through. 

Warnock - Not surprising at all. 

Then basically you've ended by saying you don't actually think we are capable of signing them, these are the players that you would like to see. Well I'm sure we would all like to see a lot of players coming in. I think fans need to be more realistic when it comes to transfers. 

 

[G STAR RAM]

Is it a sign of our arrogance that we think players would leave Wolves (that have just finished above us) to come to a team that ended the season in freefall?

[Jarvram]

We have a perfectly good player in Ivan Calero but McClaren in his wisdom stuck with Forsyth who's been useless this season. Bennett is capable up front and he's been forgotten about by McClaren too. 

There have been some players I've been sad to see go over the years, mostly Shackell, Commons, Kincladze, to name a few, but I have absolutely no problem with any of the current squad going elsewhere. 

As for who to bring in, a whole new defence for starters would be good as there seems to be no communication or common ground between the current line. If Hull City drop I would go for Aluko. Shackell would be a good choice also. Charlie Austin, Rob Green and Gary Hooper may all be available? 

Look to the academy too, we have some bright young talent there so what's the point in investing in them and nurturing their talents if we never use them, with the exception of Hendrick of course.

[Uptherams]

Ok if we are selling Will Hughes fair enough that helps out a considerable amount. 

Ince. i agree the fee would not be 5 million but it would still be a lot. 

Wisdom. If you had the choice between Derby and a low end premier league side it would be a no brainer. I just can't see that one happening at all.

Sakho by all means we can have a look but I doubt we will be able to compete with premier league clubs. He will be leaving Wolves I agree.

​Zach Clough scored 6 goals in 10 games then had an injury that kept him out for the rest of the season. Certainly Bolton will feel he is worth more than 1-2 million given the inflated prices at the moment. 

You say "We have spent all season saying can't believe we managed to sign this and that player on loan or permanent and keep others"

I was not surprised by any of the signings we made and I could certainly believe them when they happened. As for keeping players. Once one of them had signed it was only a matter of time that Forsyth, Buxton, Hendrick, Martin, Keogh, Grant and Ward signed new deals. 

Thorne - It was always going to happen given the fee was less than 3 million and the player wanted out. 

Bent - Was at Brighton on loan, Derby was just a little step up from them.

Ince - Failed on loan at Forest, we gave him a chance when he wasn't even kicking a ball at Hull.

Lingard - This was probably the only one that surprised me when I heard the deal had gone through. 

Warnock - Not surprising at all. 

Then basically you've ended by saying you don't actually think we are capable of signing them, these are the players that you would like to see. Well I'm sure we would all like to see a lot of players coming in. I think fans need to be more realistic when it comes to transfers. 

 

​Mate my original post was clear. Might want to read it again. Opening line is first player I would try and sign. Next player I say, I would go for him. Then I say, next I would try and get Andre Wisdom. Tom Ince too. These two would be the hardest to sign. I state how much I think these players would cost in total. How we can fund some of this in part with selling some players while getting rid of deadwood. That could leave us with a net spend very similar to this season. Without accounting for a Will Hughes sale, which would fund these signings easily. 

The thread title was who would you sign. I started it off giving a breakdown of who I would try and sign. 

[ChaddesdenRam]

​Mate my original post was clear. Might want to read it again. Opening line is first player I would try and sign. Next player I say, I would go for him. Then I say, next I would try and get Andre Wisdom. Tom Ince too. These two would be the hardest to sign. I state how much I think these players would cost in total. How we can fund some of this in part with selling some players while getting rid of deadwood. That could leave us with a net spend very similar to this season. Without accounting for a Will Hughes sale, which would fund these signings easily. 

The thread title was who would you sign. I started it off giving a breakdown of who I would try and sign. 

I understood your first post completely and it was clear. I replied by saying honestly, its ridiculously unrealistic.

You still haven't said how we would fund the transfers. What is this deadwood you speak of. I came up with Sammon. Who else is deadwood.

I have been through the squad list and I just can't see where you are getting the funds we need from.

[MACKWORTHRAM]

Who we sign will be all dependant on who goes out and who the manager is. 

Wisdom hasnt kicked a ball for WBA for god knows how long. Im sure Wisdom would junp at the chance of coming back here.

If Dyche is gaffer and we sell Hughes. Then we would need 8-10 players depending on who goes.

GK, RB, LB, CB, CM, Winger x2 and a ST. 

In that order id go for Marshall, Wisdom, Targett (season long loan or as part of Hughes deal) Shackell, Karacan, Ince, Sako and McCormack.

Marshall, Wisdom, Shackell, Ince, McCormack would all command fees. Targett a loan fee unless part of Hughes deal. Karacan is on a free as is Sako. 

£10 million for Hughes (I actually think we will get more than that) then maybe another £5 million from McClaren compensation and Mel Morris's bank account. So we could have £15-£20 million over the summer. 

This is all a bit of fun and id be surprised of Derby signed any of them. 

We will end up signing a whole host of different names that I will probably be more than happy with!

But if we had anything close to this line up. Id be very excited.....

Marshall, Wisdom, Keogh, Shackell, Targett, Ince, Thorne, Karacan, Sako, Martin, McCormack