Derby County have decisions to make this summer, with a number of players out of contract.
The Rams are still mired in a relegation battle, and we could see a mass exodus regardless of this season’s fate with Curtis Davies, Martyn Waghorn and Andre Wisdom all out of contract.
Florian Jozefzoon, Scott Carson and Scott Malone, currently loaned out, will also be allowed to leave for nothing when their deals expire this summer.
Malone seemingly won’t be a free agent for long though, as Millwall boss Gary Rowett – formerly of Derby – is pushing to keep the left back at The New Den.
Malone, 30, has spent the season on loan at Millwall, bagging five goals and two assists in 40 Championship games, including one of each in the 4-1 thrashing of Bristol City this past weekend.
It seems pretty clear that Derby have no plans to keep hold of Malone, despite paying £2.7million to sign him from Huddersfield Town in the summer of 2018.
Derby are preparing to take a major loss on Malone, and Rowett has admitted that a deal for him to stay at Millwall permanently is ‘quite close’.
Rowett has told News At Den that he thinks Malone has been ‘excellent’ and ‘fantastic’ this season, praising his attacking play in the process as the experienced defender prepares to end his Derby career.
“I think we’re quite close,” Rowett said. “Scotty’s been excellent for us and he’s one we’d like to get tied up.
“From the wing-back position, he’s scored six goals – that’s where with a few more goals elsewhere in the team we’d have been even higher this year. He’s done his bit and he’s been fantastic,” he added.