Derby County head into the new Championship season with a brand-new midfield after letting go of three of their promotion heroes from last year.
Captain Conor Hourihane, Korey Smith, and academy graduate Max Bird all left Derby in the summer, with the latter returning to Bristol City following a January transfer to the Robins on deadline day.
Hourihane and Smith have both returned to League One just months after finishing second with the Rams, with Derby’s ex-captain joining back up with his old club Barnsley, while Smith has made the switch to Cambridge United.
This left Paul Warne with the huge task of rebuilding his midfield before the Rams’ opening game of the season against Blackburn Rovers on Friday 9 August at Ewood Park.
Derby have already signed four players that can operate in the middle of the park, including winning back the signature of a fan’s favourite from last season.
The re-signing of Ebou Adams from Cardiff City could be key
Back in January, Derby secured the services of Ebou Adams from Cardiff City until the end of the campaign. In just 17 games, Adams quickly became the first name on the teamsheet, and scored the Rams’ Goal of the Season Award for his superb winner against Blackpool at the end of March.
Despite his goal award, it was his defensive work that won over the Pride Park faithful, with the 28-year-old instantly slotting into the holding midfield role – a position that Warne had struggled to fill in his year and a half at the club prior to Adams’ arrival.
The Gambian international was a monster in the middle of the park, winning 31 tackles in just 17 league games last season, while also proving his ability to battle against his opponents, winning 58.4% of his duels.
| Ebou Adams Derby County Stats 2023/24 (FotMob) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals (Assists) | 1 (1) |
| Tackles Won | 31 |
| Duels Won | 135 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 31 |
| Fouls Won | 50 |
Adams gives Warne the perfect shield in front of the defence, and one that has already settled in at DE24, meaning that he should be able to hit the ground running.
Paul Warne has added plenty of quality into the middle of the park ahead of the Rams’ return to the Championship
The Rams have been extremely active in the market so far this summer, and have been able to capture two highly-rated young midfielders on both permanent and loan deals.
Kenzo Goudmijn, 22, can operate anywhere in the middle of the park, but is the most attacking out of Derby’s new midfield signings. He has already shown in pre-season that he has an eye for a pass and will be able to provide a cutting edge going forward.
The Dutch youngster has been one of the most exciting prospects in the Eredivisie in the last few years, and at a cost of just £600,000, he could be a bargain going forward if he does live up to his own hype.
Elsewhere, Warne’s team was able to beat out competition from fellow Championship clubs Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle to sign David Ozoh, 19, from Crystal Palace until the end of the season.
Ozoh made his debut for Palace in January 2023, against Newcastle United, but truly had his breakout last season, making ten appearances, including playing 56 minutes in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City.
He started his career as a more attacking player, but as he has matured he has become a more defensive-minded midfielder, one that could be the perfect accompaniment to Adams in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
His athleticism could be the key to bringing Derby forward from defensive situations, plugging the gap between Adams and Goudmijn – an issue that featured heavily with the Rams last season, with there sometimes being too much of a missing link from defence to attack.
If Warne can keep all three fit and playing consistently, then Derby may have a midfield with youth and power to keep them afloat in their first Championship season for two years.
