Derby County are interested in signing an “absolute Rolls-Royce” of a footballer this summer, according to a new update from journalist Alan Nixon.
Who will Derby sign this summer?
John Eustace will be looking forward to having a first full summer in charge of the Rams, both in terms of bringing in the right players and also having plenty of time on the training ground with his squad.
Derby have been linked with plenty of potential signings of late, as they look to build on last season’s 19th-place finish, including Blackburn Rovers centre-back Danny Batth, who Eustace already knows well. The 34-year-old averaged 4.2 aerial duel wins per game in the Championship last season, also winning five Man of the Match awards from WhoScored.
Meanwhile, Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon has also been mentioned as a possible addition for the Rams before next season gets underway, with coach Michael Skubala heaping praise on him last year.
“He played in there as a sort of single six today, so that was really difficult for him in terms of physicality. What I was really impressed with is how he got about the pitch and he showed his quality at times. And yeah, what a great finish. But he’s such a big player for us in there. But what I was really impressed with today, was how he controlled the centre of the pitch for most of the game, which was brilliant.”
Now, another name has been thrown into the hat for Derby, and as is the case with Batth, it is a player who Eustace has worked with before.
Eustace eyeing Derby reunion with "Rolls-Royce"
According to Nixon on Patreon [via Football League World], Derby want to sign £1m-rated Birmingham City central defender Dion Sanderson, sealing a reunion with Eustace in the process.
New target: Derby keen on signing "one of the best" Championship defenders
John Eustace is looking to bolster his backline this summer.
ByDominic Lund
The pair worked alongside each other during Eustace’s stint at Blackburn last season, with the defender on loan at Ewood Park from the Midlands side.
Sanderson could be a really shrewd signing for Derby, not least because he was once considered a player with a big future, being lauded by former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson.
“He’s a centre-half and at his age level he is an absolute Rolls-Royce. Obviously he is stepping up to men’s football and when you do that you come up against different challenges, as Dion did yesterday and he came through that.”
Still only 25, Sanderson still has so much to offer, and with Birmingham seemingly not considering him a key part of their plans, a move to Derby could be the perfect outcome for all parties.