The festive period is almost upon us, but rather than thinking about Christmas presents, Paul Warne is more likely to be pondering his January transfer window wishlist right now.
Derby County have made a strong start this season upon their return to the Championship, with the Rams currently sitting in 12th place after 15 games.
Defensively, Paul Warne’s side have looked solid, but they are currently lacking that killer edge in attack that can take them to the next level. Luckily, that can all change with some smart moves in January.
Warne has already got plenty right at Derby County this year, and signing these two young stars on loan in the New Year could really help the Rams pick up more points in the second half of the campaign.
Will Lankshear could get more minutes at Derby County
The main priority for Derby in January has to be finding a new target man to help them get something from the tougher teams in the league. As good as Jerry Yates has been in front of goal, he simply cannot hold up the ball when the Rams play more directly.
In a very realistic world, Derby County would look to sign Cauley Woodrow from Luton Town. But, no offence to Woodrow, there are better options out there if the stars can truly align for Warne.
Tottenham Hotspur youngster, Will Lankshear, was strongly linked with a loan move to various Championship clubs in the summer, but the decision was made to keep him in North London to mix it up with the senior squad.
While Lankshear impressed with his first goal for Spurs in the Europa League defeat to Galatasaray, he is finding minutes hard to come by under Ange Postecoglou, with just two senior appearances so far this season.
In order for Derby, or any club for that matter, to acquire Lankshear on loan in January, Tottenham would have to be comfortable relying on an injury-plagued Richarlison to provide backup for Dominic Solanke, but it’s not out of the question that the youngster will be shipped out to gain experience.
He would be a perfect fit for Derby, with his neat footwork, good upper body strength, and keen eye for goal helping him slot into both Warne’s preferred style of playing more intricate, attacking football and plan B for the Rams, where they knock it long to the big man up top.
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Tyrique George is ready for the next step
If Warne were to achieve his dream transfer window (albeit a relatively realistic one), he may look to the big London clubs for another signing in January, and bolstering his options on the wing would be a good place to start.
While Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, the club captain, is pretty much a nailed-on starter for the Rams, there is a big debate among the fanbase right now as to whether Kayden Jackson should be replaced by Corey Blackett-Taylor.
Signing Chelsea youngster, Tyrique George, would be a very exciting move indeed for Derby, with the talented teenager offering the versatility to play on either wing.
George is only 18-years-old but he’s already made his senior debut for the Blues, and looks like a really lively winger, with excellent dribbling skills, pace, a good engine, and the ability to either deliver a dangerous ball into the box or cut inside and take a shot himself.
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A blend of experience and youth for Derby County
Assuming Warne does make those two signings in this hypothetical scenario, and that he puts them into his preferred starting lineup, Derby County would have a really interesting combination of more experienced players and tantalising youth prospects.
Here’s how we think Derby would lineup if that particular January transfer window plays out:
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom; Ryan Nyambe, Curtis Nelson, Eiran Cashin, Callum Elder; David Ozoh, Ebou Adams, Kenzo Goudmijn; Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Tyrique George, Will Lankshear.
It is also worth noting that Ryan Nyambe is still recovering from a serious knee injury, and will be out for a few months still. But, if this is a dream for Warne, then he would have his first-choice full-back available for selection.