Derby County have now ‘agreed a deal’ to complete their fifth summer signing as Paul Warne continues to flesh out his first-team squad.
Derby kickstarted their preparations for the Championship with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Matlock Town in a pre-season friendly.
Manager Paul Warne was able to see multiple of his new signings in action as Kayden Jackson and Jerry Yates got their names on the score sheet while Dutch midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn played the last half an hour.
The friendly was a perfect way to build up fitness while Warne wants to continue building momentum in the transfer market and luckily, he’s close to confirming his fifth summer signing.
Derby County now close to signing Ebou Adams
Derby County have clarified that signing Cardiff City midfielder Ebou Adams has been a priority throughout this window.
The 28-year-old was an incredible loan signing in the second half of the season, as his dominant midfield displays helped the Rams seal promotion.
As a result, supporters were calling for David Clowes to snap the Gambian up permanently and the club have since been working hard to strike a deal.
Initially, the asking price was a stumbling block but as reported last week, Derby have agreed a £900,000 deal with Cardiff to sign the player.
That claim has since been furthered by journalist Pete O’Rourke, who believes a deal has been ‘agreed’ with Adams set to sign a three-year contract within the next 24 hours.
For everyone associated with the club, this is excellent news because the impact he had last term was ‘immense’ and now their love for the player will be rekindled.
Derby County’s transfer priorities after signing Ebou Adams
From when Adams signed for Derby in January, Warne’s men only conceded nine goals on their way to sealing a second-place finish.
A lot of that was due to the midfielder’s robust and tigerish displays, helping the Rams win the midfield battle.
Adams returning to Pride Park will see him take his place at the base of midfield, utilising his incredible ball-winning attributes to give Derby a boost in the engine room.
Following his arrival, though, it’s clear that Warne must address the goalkeeper situation, after reportedly missing out on former Brighton and Arsenal shot-stopper Mathew Ryan.
Derby have previously been linked to free-agent Marek Rodak, a player Warne worked with at Rotherham, while Leicester City’s Daniel Iversen has also been on their radar.
Goalkeeper is essentially the next position that must take priority after Adams before looking at cover for the likes of Eiran Cashin and Curtis Nelson in defence.