Will Hughes has opened up on the importance of his Derby County spell to his career.
Born in Surrey, Will Hughes joined Derby County’s academy in 2011. The midfielder went onto make his senior debut just months later.
Hughes quickly made a huge impact on The Rams’ first team despite his age, making 42 appearances in the Championship as a teenager.
The youngster went onto be linked with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool as he racked up 12 goals and 18 assists in 187 appearances for the club.
Gary Rowett’s arrival saw his career at Derby stagnate though, and he eventually joined Watford in the Premier League for around £8 million.
Hughes now plays for Crystal Palace as he approaches his 29th birthday, and arguably never really reached the potential he once had at Pride Park. But the 28-year-old still speaks very highly of Derby and how they helped him become the player he is today.
Speaking to Crystal Palace’s official website, Hughes said: “The characters in that dressing room were very big characters. Like I have said before, it is sink or swim. That has moulded me into the person I am today. It has helped improve me massively from a mental point of view.
“I mean, you’re a product of your environment. When I was brought through there, that was exactly what it was. It was an old-school mentality, but I’m so glad I came through in that situation.”
How good is Derby County’s academy?
Will Hughes is one of many brilliant stars who have been hand-picked by Derby County’s academy.
The Rams clearly have a keen eye for a midfielder though, with both Louie Sibley and Max Bird really proving themselves at the club since they were promoted to the first team, while Jason Knight also impressed before joining Bristol City.
The likes of Eiran Cashin, Morgan Whittaker and Max Lowe also can’t be forgotten.
The next step for Derby is being able to hold onto these players though. Promotion to the Championship would surely help that.
Paul Warne‘s side currently sit only two points from the League One automatic promotion spots, and a win over Burton Albion on Monday could potentially see them creep up.
Eiran Cashin’s links to the Premier League may be unavoidable though, even if they are promoted. The defender had looked likely to join Brighton in the summer, but Derby were lucky enough to keep hold of him beyond deadline day.