Derby County’s academy is a goldmine for producing young talent, and their decision to let go of one player in 2021 is coming back to haunt them.
Derby are well known for developing youngsters through their academy and giving them a chance in the first team.
It’s a philosophy that has reaped big rewards, especially in recent times as the likes of Max Bird and Eiran Cashin have established themselves as integral players in Paul Warne’s squad.
While Cashin has previously attracted interest from Premier League side Brighton, Bird completed his move to Bristol City in the January transfer window but was loaned back to Pride Park for the remainder of the season.
Unfortunately, some players are robbed of the chance to replicate such success stories and that was the case with Archie Brown in 2021.
What happened with Derby County youngster Archie Brown?
A product of the Derby Academy, Brown impressed as a young player coming through the ranks at Moor Farm.
Beginning his career as a left winger, he put in some eye-catching performances in the underage groups.
In 2019, he netted a hat-trick as Derby County Under-18s routed Arsenal 5-2 on their way to their first-ever Premier League title in that age group.
The following season, Brown was a part of the squad that pulled up trees in the UEFA Youth League. Derby defeated heavily fancied Borussia Dortmund 3-1 at Pride Park in February 2020 earned themselves a trip to Austria to face FC Salzburg in the last 16.
They ended up losing that match 4-1 and Brown was sent off 15 minutes from time for a second bookable offence.
Although it was an unsavoury ending for the teenager, there was no shame in the result as the Austrians were among the front runners for the tournament.
As Brown’s stock continued to rise, the club offered him fresh terms but this was during a time when Derby were going through financial peril.
He decided against extending his contract and instead made the surprise move to Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport. From there, his value has continued to skyrocket and now he’s wanted by Premier League side Chelsea.
Chelsea want former Derby youngster Archie Brown
Brown’s performances for Lausanne earned him a move to Gent last year and he’s since transitioned into an attacking full-back.
That position seems to have worked a treat as the 21-year-old has made 28 appearances across all competitions, six of which have come in the UEFA Conference League.
In the Belgian Pro League, Brown has also supplied two assists and is now wanted by Chelsea and West Ham.
That is according to the Guardian, who claim that the two Premier League giants are tracking the defender.
With a reported value of £15 million, Brown is also being monitored by the likes of Juventus, Milan, Lyon and Nice, as per the report.
From leaving Derby in 2021 to now being wanted by some European giants, it is fair to say that the Rams made a fatal error in allowing him to leave.