Paul Warne could save Derby County millions by unleashing prolific academy striker Dajaune Brown in 2024.
Derby secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Burton Albion last night to keep hot on the heels of the automatic promotion places.
Yet, Paul Warne is still looking to bolster his squad in this transfer window so he has no regrets come the end of the season.
Derby are aiming to do that by strengthening their strike force consisting of the in-form James Collins and the injured Martyn Waghorn.
One name on their radar is Wigan Athletic’s Callum Lang while a deal for Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith is tipped to get done in this window.
Smith has won promotion from this division three times – most recently netting 16 goals to help the Owls return to the Championship.
The 32-year-old possesses vast experience at this level but given his age, would only be a short-term solution to their problem.
Warne should instead look to the future by unleashing 18-year-old striker Dejaune Brown from their academy in 2024.
Who is Dajaune Brown?
There’s always something special about watching an academy player progress through the youth ranks and thrive in the U21s.
Brown, like many, joined Derby at a very young age and has since made rapid progress through the underage groups.
A prolific striker, who has mastered the art of scoring goals, the 18-year-old has garnered an impressive record since joining the U18s squad as a first-year scholar in the summer of 2022.
Brown’s ascent towards Paul Warne’s senior setup has been “stunning” – as described by journalist Josh Bunting – and as demonstrated by his incredible scoring record.
The teenage sharpshooter has plundered an impressive 25 goals in 34 appearances across the Rams U18 and U23 groups.
This season, however, he’s reached new heights by regularly finding the net against the biggest sides in Premier League 2.
Brown has scored against Liverpool, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Fulham as well as a brace against Manchester City.
As a result of his scintillating form, the youngster was even awarded first-team minutes, coming off the bench in comfortable victories over Northampton Town and Leyton Orient.
While Warne understandably hasn’t given him more game time given they are fighting for promotion, the Derby boss could find it increasingly difficult to ignore him if he continues this rate of scoring, especially after netting four goals in an 11-1 thrashing against Notts County today.