Derby County head into a big game against Preston North End this weekend, and Paul Warne has now revealed whether David Ozoh is ready to play a part in the fixture.
Despite having a big impact at the start of the season for Derby County, Rams fans have not seen David Ozoh in action for a few weeks now.
The classy midfielder, on loan from Crystal Palace, has been on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, with Ebou Adams taking his place in the middle of the park for Paul Warne’s side.
It was hoped he might be back in action soon, but Ozoh was notably absent from a Derby County training video on Wednesday, and now, Warne has explained why.
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David Ozoh is not ready to play yet
Speaking to the press on Thursday (via Rams Daily), Warne was asked about the status of his squad when it comes to injury, with a particular focus on Ozoh, and he didn’t have the best news to share, sadly.
“[Ozoh] keeps putting his face in front of mine at the buffet, so he’s obviously closer. When they first get injured they don’t want to look at me but when they’re close they start doing star jumps in front of the salad bowls, so he’s obviously doing better. I’ve noticed him more, so he’s close,” Warne said.
“I’m told he will train next week — he’s doing a lot of training but by that I mean with the rest of the squad. It’ll take some time for him to catch up. I think the Sheffield Wednesday game will probably come too quick. But the one after that, possibly. So he is close,” he added.
However, it won’t be as simple as just walking straight back into the starting lineup for Ozoh, with Warne insisting, “He’s got to get back in. It’s sad but football doesn’t wait for anyone, it’s next man up. With David out, [Liam] Thompson has got in, and it’s hard to pick the best of them all. But it will be great to have David back.”
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Derby County will be much stronger with David Ozoh in the team
There is no doubt that David Ozoh is, on his day, one of Derby’s most talented players. He definitely has the potential to be the best Derby County signing of the summer, and when he’s back fit, we could well see him establish himself as one of the most impressive midfielders in the league.
But, as Warne says, he will have to fight for his place now, and the Rams have been doing well so far without him. Still, to have a player like that at your disposal, the Derby County boss would be foolish not to utilise Ozoh at every opportunity.
| Statistics | David Ozoh (2024/25) |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 7 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Pass completion | 94.1% |
| Tackles and interceptions per 90 | 6.50 |
| Touches per 90 | 35.8 |
Ebou Adams has been a standout performer for the Rams in Ozoh’s absence, but there’s no reason the pair of them can’t work together to provide Derby an even stronger platform in the middle of the park.
It would be great to see Kenzo Goudmijn push higher up the pitch and unleash his creativity, while Ozoh can definitely let his playmaking ability flourish from a deeper position, too.