Derby County will be hoping to cement their place in the Championship next season, following promotion from League One.
Paul Warne led his Derby County side to automatic promotion at the second time of asking in the 2023/24 season, ending a two year stint in League One.
Following promotion, Pride Park will have plenty of new faces coming through the door ahead of the Championship campaign, including the likes of Ben Osborn, who underwent a medical on Thursday.
Signings will have to be made thick and fast following a sizeable number of players released at the end of the 2023/24 season, including Dwight Gayle and Martyn Waghorn.
Derby have also reportedly received £2.85 million for the sale of Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa to Chelsea after the Rams inserted a 15% sell-on clause back in 2020 when he was sold.
Here we discuss the 2024/25 Championship roster and how Derby County might fare next season…
Who are the favourites for Championship promotion in 2024/25
Relegated sides Sheffield United, Luton Town and Burnley will all be looking to bounce back to the Premier League.
Luton Town managed to tie-down Rob Edwards to a new contract and have a squad very suited for life in the Championship and can be expected to be lingering around the higher echelons of the table.
However, Burnley are yet to appoint a manager following Vincent Kompany taking a job at Bayern Munich.
Sheffield United seem to be trusting in Chris Wilder to return the Blades to the top tier, however very little movement has been made in the transfer market so far, leaving them thread-bare, particularly on the wing.
Leeds United will also be hoping to respond to the disappointment of the play-off final in style, as well as Hull City potentially getting themselves into contention despite an unsatisfactory campaign that saw former Rams boss Liam Rosenior sacked.
Who are the favourites for Championship relegation in 2024/25
A lot of sides will be difficult to dictate as to whether they will manage to avoid relegation to League One until after the transfer window.
Blackburn Rovers are a prime example of a side whose season will entirely depend on the future of Sammie Szmodics, who kept his side up on the last day of the season and achieved Championship top scorer.
Plymouth Argyle are another side who will rely on keeping hold of goal-threat Morgan Whittaker, as well as starting a campaign with Wayne Rooney, who was sacked in the prior season following an unsuccessful spell with Birmingham City.
Derby County’s fellow promotion winning sides Oxford United and Portsmouth will both likely be battling it out as well, however both sides seem to have cracked on with their transfer dealings early in the summer.
How will Derby County fare in 2024/25 Championship season
Derby County fans will be hoping their side builds on last year’s promotion, however it will be difficult without several names coming through the doors at Pride Park to give them that chance.
Conor Washington is the only recognised first team striker at this moment in time and Josh Vickers remains the only goalkeeper in the squad.
Derby County have a decent helping of Championship experience, including Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who endured a hugely successful season with the Rams, achieving 25 goal contributions in the league.
The imminent signing of Osborn is a smart one from Warne, however all focus must be on a striker who can guarantee goals at this level.
If they hit all of their transfer targets, Derby County could potentially push for a mid-table position, which would be regarded as a successful return to Championship football for the Derbyshire outfit.
However, getting their business done early will be crucial for Warne, who without several new players could see the Rams hovering around the relegation spots.
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