Derby County have a number of players attracting interest ahead of the January.
Derby County have seen a clutch of players linked with moves away in the first half of this season.
The likes of Louie Sibley, youngster Cruz Allen, and Liam Thompson have made headlines, though it’s trio Eiran Cashin, Nathanial Mendez-Laing, and Max Bird who may be the most pressing transfer casualties for the Rams in January.
All three have suitors higher up in the Football League with Cashin even having links to Premier League Brighton ahead of the New Year.
But of the three, Bird seems the likeliest to leave; he’s out of contract next summer and reports ahead of January have tipped Liam Rosenior’s Hull City to test Derby’s resolve.
With that in mind, here are three Bird replacements that Derby County could sign in the New Year…
Elliot Lee
Former Luton Town man Lee has been tearing up League Two with Wrexham this season.
He joined the Welsh club ahead of the last season and scored 12 goals in the National League as the Dragons earned promotion, with 13 to his name in League Two so far this time round, with two assists as well.
The 29-year-old is an experienced and now prolific Football League name, with his overall game in the middle of the pitch bound to replace the presence of Bird.
And the addition of a goal-scoring midfielder could well be the difference for Paul Warne‘s Derby County this season.
Jeff Hendrick
A former Ram, Hendrick is currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Newcastle United, but is failing to get much game time.
With his Newcastle contract out at the end of the season and Hendrick likely a drain on the wage bill at struggling Wednesday, a January exit seems like a possibility, and Derby could do far worse than bring in the 79-cap Ireland international.
The now 31-year-old spent a couple of years in the Derby academy before making his breakthrough in 2010, going on to make 214 total appearances for the first-team with 26 goals in that time.
A huge favourite during his time at Pride Park, Hendrick would be a shrewd potential coup for the Rams next month.
Whilst on loan at Reading last season, then boss Paul Ince described the midfielder as an ‘outstanding’ player.
Marc Leonard
The Brighton man is currently on loan at Northampton Town for a second-successive season, where he’s featured 23 times in League One this season, scoring one and assisting one.
The 22-year-old Scot is a lot like Bird in that he’s a midfield player who keeps playing ticking along, covering ground and opening up space for teammates.
And recently, Coventry City have been linked with a move for the midfielder, suggesting that he could potentially be recalled next month and sent back out on loan.
A move to promotion-chasing Derby then could be ideal, albeit potentially ambitious on the Rams’ behalf.