The makeup of Derby County’s squad is beginning to shift and Paul Warne could target a Premier League starlet this summer.
Derby are preparing for a return to the Championship following promotion from League One.
The Rams announced their released/retained list over the weekend and it featured six players, including Korey Smith, Martyn Waghorn, Conor Hourihane, Scott Loach, Joe Wildsmith and Dwight Gayle.
Paul Warne’s squad was the oldest in the third tier last term with an average age of 28, but five of the players they’ve let go are all over the age of 30, which suggests he isn’t afraid to be ruthless in cutting senior players out.
Derby do still have a raft of key experienced players at their disposal, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Curtis Nelson and James Collins poised to play their part however, Warne needs to supplement that with youthful exuberance.
The 51-year-old previously said he wants added athleticism in his squad, with one Premier League player ticking both boxes.
Derby County should launch move for West Ham’s Divin Mubama
It was reported last year that Derby wanted Divin Mubama on loan to replace Arsenal loanee Tyreece John-Jules, whose spell at the club was ravaged by injuries.
Warne then said there was a “slim to zero” chance they’d sign the talented teenager in the January transfer window.
Now, with Mubama nearing the end of his West Ham contract, it could be an opportunity for the Rams to swoop in and land him on a free transfer.
The “excellent” 19-year-old, as dubbed by talent scout Antonio Mango, fits the exact profile of a striker Derby are targeting.
Mubama is a traditional number nine, can win duels (aerial and ground), hold up the ball, run the channels and link other attackers. He’s physically imposing and an incredible finisher of chances, with his frightening pace effective at unlocking defences.
During the 2022/23 campaign, he plundered 13 goals in 20 Premier League 2 appearances. This blistering form awarded him with regular opportunities on the first-team bench, although he was only given 74 minutes of action in the top flight.
If allowed to leave by West Ham, Mubama could flourish in Warne’s system as the figurehead of their attack.
Derby County need more than one striker
The signing of Mubama would come as a risk because he’s untested in the Championship however, it is a risk worth taking, especially with other second-tier clubs sniffing around.
Mubama would be one option at Derby’s disposal alongside Conor Washington and Collins but if the Rams are to stay in the division, they need more firepower.
A young striker for the future – like the West Ham man – and someone who is proven at scoring goals at this level.
The Rams scored the joint-fewest goals of sides that finished in the top six and were overly reliant on Collins and Mendez-Laing.
Warne must relieve them of that pressure by perhaps capturing Mubama for free and a striker with guaranteed goal-scoring expertise.
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