Derby County have submitted an offer for a goalkeeper who previously attracted interest from Premier League side Liverpool.
Derby have made a fantastic start in preparing for the Championship. The Rams have cleared out a lot of players who were surplus to requirements and bolstered their midfield and attack.
Getting new midfielders through the door was vital after losing Conor Hourihane, Max Bird and Korey Smith, with Paul Warne replacing that trio by acquiring Ben Osborn, Ebou Adams and Kenzo Goudmijn.
Derby have also improved an attack that scored the joint fewest goals of sides that finished in the play-offs last term with the additions of Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson.
The most important position that they’re yet to bolster, though, is in goal as Warne was left with just Josh Vickers after letting Joe Wildsmith and Scott Loach depart.
He’s attempted to change that by signing Mathew Ryan – who instead joined Roma – while they’ve now submitted a bid for another goalkeeper abroad.
Derby County submit offer for Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom
According to Sportsbladet, Derby have submitted an offer for Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
The report claims that while no information has been disclosed on the value of the bid, the offer is ‘not close’ to what they want for the 26-year-old.
In May, it was relayed by Birmingham World that Premier League side Liverpool were keen on Zetterstrom, while recently, Djurgardens sporting director, Bosse Andersson insisted that there are currently no negotiations to sell the star.
It appears that for the Rams to land the talented Swedish shot-stopper, they’ll have to step up their interest and tempt them with a more enticing bid.
Who is Jacob Widell Zetterstrom
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Zitterstrom started his youth career as an eight year old at his current club Djurgarden however, he initially departed in 2014 to join IFK Lidingo.
Returning to the place where he made a name for himself as a youth player in 2019, this was when Zetterstrom’s career would truly take off.
The one-time Sweden international – who made his debut for the national team in a friendly against Iceland in 2023 – has become one of the hottest goalkeepers in Europe.
Djurgårdens’ sporting director Bosse Andersson previously said of Zetterstrom: “He has been the best player in Allsvenskan during the spring, he is a spectacular goalkeeper. I understand that there is talk about Jacob, and there will be there will be talk all summer.
“We have shown that before, I think. Jacob has been with us for a long time, if there is something that is good for Djurgården and him, then we will have to consider it. Ideally, we don’t want to sell any player because we have a good team.”
Whilst Andersson would only consider selling his prized possession if a high offer came in, his performances show why they’re unwilling to part ways for a low fee, with Zetterstrom keeping seven clean sheets in his first 14 matches of the Allsvenskan campaign.
He’s part of a side who are pushing Malmo at the top of the Swedish first division. Currently, four points behind with a game in hand, losing him this summer could be costly to their title chances, so that is why Derby could find it difficult to land him.