Derby County have received a huge boost in their hopes of signing an ‘exceptional’ transfer target this summer.
Derby clinched promotion to the Championship last term, though their path to a second-place finish wasn’t straightforward.
Paul Warne suffered several injuries to key players as a lack of depth in their front line saw them lean on the individual brilliance of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who scored nine and assisted 16 in 46 league appearances.
The Rams didn’t possess the firepower to regularly put teams to the sword and ended the campaign as the joint-lowest scorers of sides that finished in the top six.
Warne is looking to address that problem this summer and that has resulted in links to many attacking players, including Oxford United winger Josh Murphy and Charlton Athletic striker Alfie May.
Investing in firepower to go with their strong defence is what will keep Derby afloat in the second tier, and there is one player who would provide that in abundance.
Derby County target Karamoko Dembele is leaving Brest
Derby have been linked with a move for Brest winger Karamoko Dembele alongside Championship rivals Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday.
Dembele rose to stardom when he dazzled defences as a 13-year-old playing for Celtic’s under-20 side. The clips that surfaced on social media raised high expectations for the Englishman, who has since experienced a rapid decline.
The fleet-footed winger joined Ligue 1 Brest in the summer of 2022 and reignited his career with an incredible loan spell at Blackpool last term.
Dembele showcased his precocious talents in the third tier by plundering eight goals and 13 assists, catching the eye of many English sides as a result.
The 2003-born star returned to his parent club after completing his loan at the Seasiders, though he could be making a swift exit from the French side.
According to L’Equipe [via Get Football News], Brest’s sporting director Gregory Lorenzi has confirmed isn’t a part of the manager’s plans next season and will not return to the club.
Brest are looking to cash in on the 21-year-old, who sees his contract expire in 2026, amid interest from multiple Championship sides.
Derby County could be priced out of move for Karamoko Dembele
With Championship big hitters Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday reportedly in the market for Dembele, Derby’s chances of landing the talented youngster are slim.
Although his career has been at a crossroads for quite some time, a successful loan spell at Blackpool has placed his name firmly on the market.
As a result, Brest will surely be looking to glean a seven-figure sum for the player, perhaps giving Derby’s rivals the edge in that regard.
The sort of budget at Warne’s disposal hasn’t been revealed however, a move for the “exceptional” winger – as dubbed by Ruud Gullit – would be a fantastic piece of business.
Derby need a player who can produce magic in the final third and Dembele is capable of winning matches single-handedly.
Keep an eye on how this situation unfolds as it’s clear he’ll be moving on from France, it’s just a question of who can stump up the cash to sign him.
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