Derby County target Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has outlined his ‘dream’ ahead of a proposed move to England this summer.
Derby continued their fantastic work in the summer transfer window on Wednesday as David Ozoh was officially unveiled as a Ram, with the youngster joining on loan from Crystal Palace for the season.
The midfielder, aged 19, will add some much-needed strength and pace to the engine room as Paul Warne continues to build an athletic and robust midfield.
Ozoh won’t be the final player moving to Pride Park this summer as Warne intends on adding plenty more to his squad, including goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
News broke last week that Derby were far from Djurgarden’s valuation of the Swedish keeper however, it was reported on Tuesday that a £1.4 million fee was agreed for the 26-year-old.
Zetterstrom is set to undergo a medical ahead of a move to Derbyshire, but first, he’s focused on the Europa Conference League qualifiers against Progres, taking place this and next week.
Once those fixtures are out of the way, it will become clearer when he will join the club, while the towering Swede has already outlined his dreams.
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom outlines feelings towards Derby County
For a player like Zetterstrom – who has previously been courted by the likes of Liverpool and Wolves – the opportunity to play in England is enticing.
It’s a chance for him to earn more recognition and potentially get called up to the Swedish national side, having already made his debut in January 2023.
Therefore, it is no surprise that in an interview with Fotboll Direkt, the 6 foot 5 giant said that he ‘dreams’ of playing in England when asked about his pending move to Derby.
“England is the country of dreams, I’ve followed English football all my life,” said Zetterstrom.
However, the Swede wouldn’t be pressed on whether he’s played his last game for his current club, despite reports suggesting a deal has been agreed with the Rams.
“I know as little as you do, I have full focus here. That’s all I have to say,” explained the Swede.
When Derby County could announce the signing of Zetterstrom
Although nothing is set in stone, Derby remain keen on landing a new goalkeeper and will be desperate to sign one or two ahead of their Championship campaign.
That ambition is demonstrated by seeing a £1.4m bid for Zetterstrom accepted while showcasing an interest in Leicester’s Daniel Iversen, who they value at £1.5 million.
With Zetterstrom playing for Djurgardens in the Europa Conference League today (24th July) and eight days later (August 1st), it seems likely that any deal will be complete after those two fixtures.
Ideally, the Rams will want a new keeper through the door by the start of August, so they have at least a week to train ahead of their clash against Blackburn Rovers on August 9th.
Hopefully, Zetterstrom’s medical goes swimmingly well and he gets announced as a Derby player very soon.