Derby County striker Tyreece John-Jules’ future at the club is up in the air going into the January transfer window, and William Osula could be the ideal replacement.
The 22-year-old is on loan from Premier League title chasers Arsenal, signing in August on a deal until January.
His loan spell has been disrupted though, due to a thigh injury that has kept him out of action since early September.
He could return to Paul Warne’s squad, however, when they host Bristol Rovers on Saturday afternoon in their first game after the November international break.
Warne has spoken on John-Jules’ situation already, saying that he needs to play more in order for them to make a decision.
But with that in mind, Warne could always turn to one of his former players should John-Jules depart.
The one player that Derby could turn to is William Osula.
Who is William Osula?
Currently on the books at Premier League side Sheffield United, Warne is familiar with Osula having spent the first half of last season with him at Pride Park.
He has been described as a ‘top-level striker’ by former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba.
In his loan spell, Osula scored five times in 21 appearances before returning to Bramall Lane in January.
However, upon his return, he would only make two substitute appearances for Paul Heckingbottom’s side as they were promoted back to the top flight.
So far this season, Osula has made four appearances in the Premier League, with three of those being starts.
The verdict
With other options being preferred at the Blades, he has found his game time limited.
He also signed a new contract until 2027, so the Blades clearly rate him highly.
They may be more open to letting him leave temporarily in January, so he gets regular playing time, rather than having his career stagnate by sitting on the bench and getting a few cameo appearances.
Warne’s side is in need of a striker, and his raw pace and power make him arguably a better option than John-Jules.