One former Derby County player is still looking for a new club after leaving a Premier League team during the summer.
Derby County completed some shrewd business during the summer transfer window.
Paul Warne knew that the Rams couldn’t compete with most Championship clubs financially but they still unearthed some bargains.
For instance, forward Kayden Jackson and midfielder Ben Osborn were both signed on a free transfer while the £600,000 capture of Kenzo Goudmijn is turning out to be a brilliant purchase.
Derby owner David Clowes has proven what can be done on a minimal budget as Warne’s men are currently 12th in the second tier with four wins from nine matches.
However, one of their former midfielders is still a free agent following his release from a Premier League side.
Jeff Hendrick is still a free agent after leaving Newcastle
Jeff Hendrick is still looking for a new club after leaving Newcastle United in the summer.
Hendrick, now aged 32, joined Derby’s academy at the age of 16 in 2008 and went on to make 214 appearances for the Rams – the most he’s made for any club across his career.
The 79-cap Republic of Ireland star was part of the Derby teams who consistently challenged or finished in the play-offs.
Known to many as a goalscoring midfielder, Hendrick enjoyed his best campaign in black and white in 2014/15 as he produced seven goals and eight assists in the Championship.
It was the sort of form that earned him a £10 million move to Burnley in 2016, who had just been promoted back to the Premier League.
Hendrick appeared 139 times for the Clarets before moving to Newcastle on a free transfer in 2020. It never really worked out for the midfielder in the North East, making just 27 appearances in four years.
He was instead sent on loan to several EFL sides; QPR, Reading and most recently Sheffield Wednesday, with Hendrick still available on a free transfer after departing the Magpies.
Should Derby sign Jeff Hendrick?
Derby overhauled their midfield in the summer. Conor Hourihane, Korey Smith and Max Bird were shifted out while Goudmijn, Ebou Adams, Osborn and David Ozoh were all signed.
When all of his midfielders are fully fit, Warne is spoilt for choice and doesn’t need to add any more to his squad.
That means completing the signing of Hendrick wouldn’t make any sense, as while he’d bring an abundance of experience – and knows the club inside out – he isn’t worth spending the wages on.
Hendrick is at an age where he’s starting to think about retirement. Turning 33 in January next year, the Irishman is perhaps looking for his last big pay day, and the Rams shouldn’t provide him with that.