Kane Wilson became Derby County’s seventh summer signing on Monday evening, signing from Championship outfit Bristol City for an undisclosed fee.
The 23-year-old defender joins Joe Ward, Josh Vickers, Callum Elder, Curtis Nelson, Sonny Bradley and Conor Washington through the Pride Park doors as Paul Warne’s side begins to take shape ahead of a hopeful promotion push next season.
Summer transfer windows are always exciting for supporters, especially when there have been seven new arrivals before you have even made it into the second game of pre-season, but Wilson’s addition in particular has shored up a department that the Rams had neglected for a while; the right-back sport.
Throughout the entirety of the last campaign, Derby were forced to play out of position midfielders Korey Smith and Jason Knight as makeshift right-backs. To be fair to the pair of them, there was not too much to be concerned about on the larger scale, but at times it was apparent that their skill sets were being limited by playing in otherwise unfamiliar positions.
Another noticeable flaw that came with the midfielders’ newfound positions was the lack of enticing deliveries into the box for a forward of James Collins’ quality to stab home.
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Will Kane Wilson be a good addition for Derby?
Along with the earlier addition of Ward, Wilson’s signing means that the Rams now have not one, but two recognised right-backs who are capable of playing right-wing-back for the first time since Warne’s appointment. One tipped to be a new Cafu, no less.
Due to the Derby boss’ preference of playing a five-at-the-back formation, this will come as a collective sigh of relief for the Rams’ coaching staff and supporters alike.
BBC Sport Derby understands that there was no fee paid for Wilson, but that a sell-on clause is part of the agreement between the Robins and Derby for his transfer.
The former Forest Green Rovers man has penned a two-year deal with the Rams and could fly out to Spain shortly to join his new teammates in their warm weather training camp.