Paul Warne is looking to assemble a completely new midfield at Derby County. Here’s how it could look if the Rams complete deals for Ebou Adams and Ben Osborn.
Paul Warne has claimed Derby County need at least nine new signings after winning promotion to the Championship.
The Rams saw six first-team players leave, including captain Conor Hourihane and first-choice goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, with Warne getting ready to flesh out his League One standard squad.
Warne’s biggest priority is signing a new No.1 following the departure of Wildsmith however, midfield is down to the bare bones and is a position that needs just as much improvement.
Derby County’s midfield needs addressing the most
Derby have a blank canvas to work off in midfield following the departures of Hourihane, Max Bird, Korey Smith and Ebou Adams returning to Cardiff City.
Therefore, Warne has been left with just Tyrese Fornah and academy graduates Liam Thompson and Darren Robinson as realistic midfield options.
The Rams need at least three or four central midfield players to arrive through the door at Pride Park this summer and several have been linked, including Adams and Ben Osborn.
Derby County’s dream midfield, Ebou Adams and Ben Osborn feature
Derby’s pursuit of Adams on a permanent deal is well documented.
The midfield powerhouse starred on loan from Cardiff City, acting as a screen in front of the Rams defence and effortlessly breaking up play.
In an ideal world, David Clowes triggers the £500,000 asking price for Adams, who would be a perfect partner for free agent Ben Osborn.
Osborn played 230 times for arch-rivals Nottingham Forest but following his release from Sheffield United, the player who grew up supporting Derby has been linked with a move to the club along with Championship side Watford.
Described by Chris Wilder as “excellent” talent, the 29-year-old could form a mouth-watering partnership with Adams while solidifying the base of their midfield.
Just ahead of those two, Warne would quite like someone with an abundance of creativity. Derby currently have Thompson who is capable of playing in the 10, however the Rams may dip into the market for someone better.
Interest has been shown in free agent Herbie Kane following his release from Barnsley, though nothing has materialised.
Kane is the sort of creative metronome that Derby need in their attacking midfield, with the 25-year-old scoring nine and assisting five in League One last term.
There are other players in the market that Warne may consider though such as Birmingham’s Alex Pritchard or Brighton’s Marc Leonard to fill that void.
Nonetheless, it promises to be an exciting summer if Derby can tie up deals for Osborn and Adams early on.
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