Derby County celebrated a historic promotion last weekend and work will begin to arm a squad that can tackle the Championship.
Paul Warne will be given funds by David Clowes to strengthen his pack. As it stands, the Rams have 12 players whose contracts expire in June, leaving Derby with a lot of work to do in the transfer window.
A measured recruitment model will be put in place as Warne sets his sights on lowering the average age of his squad – currently the oldest in League One – while adding more athleticism and attacking firepower.
Derby have tried to tick the athleticism box by prising Ebou Adams away from Cardiff City permanently, although their £250,000 bid fell short of the Bluebirds’ £500,000 valuation.
Unlike years ago when Derby shelled out £10 million to sign Kystian Bielik – the sort of transfer that plunged them into financial peril – Warne will instead target talent on the cheap.
The Rams should take advantage of Huddersfield Town’s situation by poaching one of their prized assets to Pride Park.
Why Derby should target Huddersfield attacker Sorba Thomas
Derby are eyeing up players who have played regular Championship football, have age on their side and will add quality to their ranks.
Huddersfield winger Sorba Thomas certainly fits that bill. The 25-year-old has played 131 times at Championship level and has enjoyed a fine season despite his side’s struggles.
The Terriers’ relegation to League One is near enough confirmed but that hasn’t stopped the 8-cap Wales international from showing his class.
Operating across several positions, including as a right-winger, centre forward and left-winger, Thomas has been a shining light for Huddersfield, accumulating four goals and nine assists in 41 Championship appearances this term.
Thomas’s positional versatility would be handy to Warne, as would his ability to produce magic in the final third, with EFL pundit Ali Maxwell previously describing his talent as “sensational”.
Where would Sorba Thomas fit in at Derby County?
A queue of Championship clubs will be looking to poach Thomas away from Huddersfield this summer.
After all, he does rank in the top 8% against his positional peers for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for assists per 90.
If Derby were to land the powerful attacker, though, he could be shoehorned into various systems.
When Warne plays his 3-5-2 system, Thomas has shown he can play as a wing-back but can also operate as a second striker.
The position he’s played the most is down the left or right wing however, so if the Rams boss was to switch back to his 4-3-3, he could play Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Thomas on either flank.
That pair could form a potentially devastating duo that most Championship sides would fear.
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