Paul Warne and Derby County owner David Clowes have been sent a clear message over one Rams player.
Paul Warne was appointed Derby County manager in September 2022, becoming the first full-time managerial hire under new owner David Clowes.
Clowes is no doubt thrilled with how Warne has fared in his role at Pride Park over the last two years.
After a two-year hiatus, the Rams finished second in League One in the 2023/24 season to earn a fairly swift promotion back to the Championship.
The current campaign has got off to a largely positive start for the Derbyshire outfit as well, despite being smashed 4-2 by Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the season.
Prior to the ongoing October international break, Derby beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on October 5th.
They climbed up to 12th in the Championship table as a result, with a number of stars impressing during their first nine fixtures of 2024/25.
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Paul Warne and Derby County owner David Clowes sent Curtis Nelson message
While several of the club’s summer additions have shone in 2024/25, Curtis Nelson has been one of their best performers.
Nelson was praised by Warne last weekend after Derby beat QPR, with the manager dubbing the 31-year-old ‘unbelievable’.
However, Derby are in danger of losing Nelson for free as his current contract runs out at the end of 2024/25.
Now though, EFL pundit Carlton Palmer, as per Football League World, has sent a clear message to Warne and Clowes, telling them it is ‘very important’ Nelson is tied down to a fresh deal.
He said: “I would have thought that giving Curtis Nelson a new contract would be a huge priority for Paul Warne and the Derby County hierarchy.
“He’s possibly been Derby County’s best player this season and Paul Warne works with a very solid back four. They had the best defensive record when they got promoted last season, and they’ve also started strong defensively this season, with Curtis Nelson being a key part of that.
“I’m sure Derby County will look to tie him down to a contract sooner rather than later. You don’t want disruptions and Derby County sit 12th in the table, a really solid start to the season after getting promoted from League One.
“It’s very important that they get him tied down to a new contract, and I’m sure Paul Warne and David Clowes will be discussing that.
“Without a shadow of a doubt they won’t be allowing him to leave in the January transfer window, he’s too important to the cause and I think in the coming months we’ll see him sign a new deal.”
Derby County could lose more than just Curtis Nelson this summer
Nelson’s contract situation should be a big priority for Warne and co. but there are a couple more Derby players who could also leave for free next year if their deals are not sorted soon.
Kane Wilson, Liam Thompson, Sonny Bradley, Conor Washington, James Collins, Craig Forsyth and Rohan Luthra are all now in the final 12 months of their contracts at Pride Park.
Wilson remains a key figure at the club and should really be offered a fresh deal in the nearly future.
Despite his age, Forsyth has shown he still has something to offer Derby going forward, even if it is in a reduced role.
As for the remainder of the aforementioned players, it remains to be seen what the future holds for them in Derbyshire.