January Window

[KBB]

15 minutes ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

Connor Coventry ? Think he was on loan at FC Franchise recently 

Yep. Decent player. Got a good reputation. Surprised west ham are gonna let him go on a free. Would be a useful squad player with potential to improve. However would he get in at cm ahead of our current squad if he is after first team football?

[B4ev6is]

5 hours ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

Connor Coventry ? Think he was on loan at FC Franchise recently 

No has a permeant signing from west ham but no he is a free agent.

[B4ev6is]

5 hours ago, KBB said:

Yep. Decent player. Got a good reputation. Surprised west ham are gonna let him go on a free. Would be a useful squad player with potential to improve. However would he get in at cm ahead of our current squad if he is after first team football?

Depends if he can play left or right wing or wingbacks

[RoyMac5]

"RCusack: Derby are eighth in the table, one point off the playoffs with a team made up of free transfers and young players is really impressive. Obviously, Derby will get the chance in January to make a few more signings, but if Derby make money selling a player in January, can they use the profit to buy a player?

LCurtis: The short answer is they cannot pay any transfer fees for players. Regardless if they sell a player, they just can't. It's just a stipulation as part of the EFL business plan. It is pretty much free transfers and loans, regardless of who goes out of the building. Of course, that money, if you sell a player, could go to the wages of a free transfer. January is going to be a real challenge because I'm not sure how many free transfers are going to be available. Actually, Paul touched upon this in a press conference recently in that not many clubs are going to want to let players go unless they are absolutely surplus to requirements. But if they are surplus to requirements are they going to be any good?

That's the way I see it. Even if a player, for instance, is really good that Derby have probably got their eyes on and he's got six months left on his contract and is going to be out of contract next summer, if that player is still a key member of the squad, then that club can still demand a fee. That automatically rolls Derby out of the equation because they can't pay any transfer fee.

That's the difficulty for me in terms of what the January window will be. I'm hoping that given how well the club's being run in the moment that the EFL might loosen some of the stipulations in that agreement that was formed post-administration, and probably take a bit more relaxed view next summer. You have to remember the pool of players that Derby are currently having to operate in is actually really small.

If you're able to pay transfer fees, you can go and have a look at anybody. But, at the moment, it's loan signings, or those players who are are going to be available for nothing. I had a look at the free agent list recently and to be honest the players who are on there, there are none that stand out. As Warne said they're on that list for a reason. The difficulty they've got in January is then trying to get players on free transfers but making sure that those players are actually in a position to be allowed to leave. I think Paul's probably gone back through all the squads and picked out those players who are perhaps not being used who he thinks would be really good for Derby and then trying to ask for a favour here and there.

They will want to strengthen the squad that's absolutely clear. They want at least three players in. I think wide players are going to be the priority and right-back mean. How they've got through this whole season so far without having a proper authentic right-back has been quite impressive really. That's a position that really needs to be strengthened. And of course, when Mendez-Laing got injured, we're all saying well, is there anybody in the squad who's got his kind of calibre? There isn't anybody like that. You don't really want to be approaching the second half of the season, keeping your fingers crossed and watching through splayed fingers every time somebody goes to tackle him if you haven't got a ready-made replacement. The fact that Derby have are in such a good position, when you take into account how turbulent the summer was and putting together a squad of free transfers, young players and loans, you don't want to waste any opportunity or the hard work that's gone on before it..."

[MadAmster]

Both this season and next, we can't pay transfer, loan or agent's fees which rather reduces the size of the pond we can fish in and the size of fish we can attract. There is a small possibility that, if we are "good boys" this season, some of the restrictions in the business plan, written by DCFC and approved by the EFL, might be eased (probably not lifted) next season. For instance, a player swap might be on as long as we don't pay any money to the other club involved in the deal. Bielik for one or more players from a Championship or a PL side, for instance, might be on the cards as long as the new players don't want more than the wages cap allows. Might the wages cap be increased, especially if we go up this season? All ifs, buts and maybes, I know but not impossible.

 

[RoyMac5]

"That means Derby are going to have to rely on free transfer or loans with Warne hinting that it is likely to be the latter as far as the Rams are concerned. Warne feels he would have a good chance of landing his target next summer when he would be available.

But the Rams head coach admits there is also the chance a rival could snap him up in January if they decide to pay a fee for him which Derby cannot do.

"There is a right-back I really like who I think I can get in the summer, but can't get in January," he said. "Worryingly somebody else could nick him in the January window and that can happen.

"Realistically the January window is just for loans or for example a player at Middlesbrough who has five months left on his contract and there is some sort of deal to be done. They could pay some of his money and you can subsidise the rest and give him a longer deal.

"But those don't happen in December. You can have those conversations but clubs won't entertain talks with the player because they will need him. One minute you think you can have them, the next you can't. At times you are so close. Then the lad who is second-choice right-back has done his ankle so they keep the next in line.

"You were going to let this player go to Doncaster or Scunthorpe but then that can't happen as a result. It's just unbelievable how it happens. It then may be the case that the club you want to sign from can't get the player they want and it crumbles. The January window is excitement and depression. You feel like you are there and then not there."

Warne says the restrictions on Derby and the EFL business plan does not make life easier but says their history and prestige will always make them an attractive proposition.

"It is hard and it doesn't make it any easier not having fees," he said. "However, loads of League One teams don't pay fees. I'd be amazed if there are five players or more who go for a fee in January.

"But you will get players who are signed with a loan with a view to a permanent or a loan with a fee. Or if we get promoted or in the play-offs then there's a little bit extra to pay out.

"Those are the little bits around deals that might make it awkward for us. I am not complaining about it. We are a club that players who will want to come to and we have a good reputation with other clubs. But it's not 100 per cent ideal."

[Ghost of Clough]

The RB... Mitch Clark at Accrington? I thought he was one of their best players when we beat them 3-0. Put a lot of good balls into the box and has 5 assists so far this season.

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

The RB... Mitch Clark at Accrington? I thought he was one of their best players when we beat them 3-0. Put a lot of good balls into the box and has 5 assists so far this season.

Was he the number 2 with dark hair? I am presuming so. If so, I thought he played some lovely passes in the second half just in front of us at the side. Whether he’s any good or not I couldn’t say, would need to have a look at their other games. 

[Ram@Lincoln]

4 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

The RB... Mitch Clark at Accrington? I thought he was one of their best players when we beat them 3-0. Put a lot of good balls into the box and has 5 assists so far this season.

If he's one of their best players, there's no chance they'll give him us for nothing.

[Ghost of Clough]

24 minutes ago, Ram@Lincoln said:

If he's one of their best players, there's no chance they'll give him us for nothing.

Warne's comment was along thr lines of us needing to wait until the summer (when out of contract), but someone else may come in for him in January.

[B4ev6is]

Well like I said that young lad now with out a club surely we can offer a trail and if he impresses maybe we can offer him a contract.

[walkleyowl]

9 hours ago, B4ev6is said:

Well like I said that young lad now with out a club surely we can offer a trail and if he impresses maybe we can offer him a contract.

He is still with West Ham and will cost a fee

[B4ev6is]

3 hours ago, walkleyowl said:

He is still with West Ham and will cost a fee

He will not cost a fee as they released from his contract which now means a freebie.

[Ghost of Clough]

31 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

He will not cost a fee as they released from his contract which now means a freebie.

He hasn't been released.

He has apparently been told he can look for a new club (for a small transfer fee)

[walkleyowl]

33 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

He will not cost a fee as they released from his contract which now means a freebie.

He's been told to find another club not been released. Very different 

[B4ev6is]

Well saying if we can hold talks they might cancel his contract to sign for us or might let him out on loan so he becomes permeant in the summer.

[Crewton]

The only way we're going to get a player for free who might otherwise have cost a fee is to include them in a deal for one of our players, though I don't know if the EFL embargo has restrictions on that score too. 

[Caerphilly Ram]

3 hours ago, Crewton said:

The only way we're going to get a player for free who might otherwise have cost a fee is to include them in a deal for one of our players, though I don't know if the EFL embargo has restrictions on that score too. 

I don’t think that is the only way. Collins was under contract and we were able to sign him on a free. There is a scenario where clubs may mutually agree to end a players contract if they’re not in their own first team plans etc, they could loan players out to us who’s contracts are running down with us covering the wage costs. Money is tight for a lot of clubs, getting a wage off their books for a player who isn’t involved might appeal to them. 
The options are still going to be limited and of course the usual arguments about “how can x player be good enough for us if they can’t get into y’s team” would appear, but if Warne sees a player he can utilise is available in this way and the club can negotiate the deal we have to accept the reality of our situation and trust that Warne can get that player integrated within the squad and performing in a rams shirt. 

[richinspain]

Perhaps we can do a buy now pay August 2024 deal?

[Crewton]

2 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

I don’t think that is the only way. Collins was under contract and we were able to sign him on a free. There is a scenario where clubs may mutually agree to end a players contract if they’re not in their own first team plans etc, they could loan players out to us who’s contracts are running down with us covering the wage costs. Money is tight for a lot of clubs, getting a wage off their books for a player who isn’t involved might appeal to them. 
The options are still going to be limited and of course the usual arguments about “how can x player be good enough for us if they can’t get into y’s team” would appear, but if Warne sees a player he can utilise is available in this way and the club can negotiate the deal we have to accept the reality of our situation and trust that Warne can get that player integrated within the squad and performing in a rams shirt. 

Yes, I agree with that, but I was really thinking of those players who clubs aren't willing to let go without a fee, as may be the case for PL or Championship clubs who don't 'need' to give the player away for financial reasons (like the kid at West Ham who's being mentioned). Eg : a cash+player(s) deal for Knight or Bielek might be do-able.