Freddie Potts has impressed on loan at Wycombe Wanderers this season, and he could be the successor at Pride Park for Bristol City-bound Bird
Derby County returned to the League One automatic play-off places this past weekend as they defeated Bristol Rovers on Saturday afternoon.
Despite a 3-0 win against Port Vale last time out, the midweek action saw Bolton Wanderers move above them in the table after coming from two goals down to draw with fellow promotion hopefuls Barnsley at Oakwell.
Paul Warne’s side though made it two wins on the spin with a rampant 3-0 success at the Memorial Stadium, with goals coming from Dwight Gayle, Tom Barkhuizen and Martyn Waghorn.
Derby County’s January transfer business
In the January window, Derby City faced a shortage of reinforcements to maintain their Championship ambitions. The Rams welcomed Corey Blackett-Taylor from Charlton Athletic and signed Cardiff City midfielder Ebou Adams. However, the club failed to sign a striker, leading to frustration among fans.
Derby’s interest in Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith was sparked by the club’s offer in terms of wages, but loan fee demands stifled the deal. The club also faced injury issues, leaving the Rams with no striking options. After the January deadline, Stoke City striker Dwight Gayle joined the club, scoring his first goal in black and white.
Midfielder Max Bird joined Championship side Bristol City on a deal until the summer of 2027, following the footsteps of former teammate Jason Knight. Bird has been an integral part of Derby’s success this season, starting all but five of the Rams’ League One fixtures after an ankle injury.
This leaves the club in the difficult predicament of trying to replace Bird in the summer, but they may need to look no further than someone playing in the division right now.
Freddie Potts could be Derby County’s ideal Max Bird replacement
Wycombe Wanderers midfielder Freddie Potts, on loan from West Ham United, has been a standout in League One. Potts made his first professional loan move from the Hammers at the start of the season, making all his first-team appearances in the Europa Conference League campaign in 2022-23.
He has featured 28 times for Matt Bloomfield’s side this season, displaying impressive performances in central midfield. Potts’ stats suggest he offers more of an attacking threat than Bird, but Warne may need to add defensive stability in midfield due to potential attacking incomings.
| Freddie Potts and Max Bird’s League One Stats Comparison | ||
| Max Bird | Freddie Potts | |
| Apps | 31 | 28 |
| Goals | 5 | 2 |
| Assists | 7 | 1 |
| Minutes played | 2,607 | 2,239 |
| Successful passes | 789 | 725 |
| Pass accuracy | 78.3% | 75.1% |
| Touches | 1,398 | 1,380 |
| Duels won | 103 | 166 |
| Interceptions | 19 | 45 |
| Recoveries | 166 | 142 |
| Stats Correct As Of March 10, 2024 – As Per FotMob | ||
It seems unlikely the 20-year-old will be able to force his way into the Hammers’ starting line-up next season, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Moyes’ future at the club with his contract at the London Stadium due to expire in the summer.
Should Derby win promotion to the Championship, a loan move for Potts could be on the cards and would be a step-up for the midfielder, having proved he is capable of performing in League One this season.
Along with this, Derby’s ability to nuture young talent in recent seasons will also be another positive for Potts should he have to weigh up his options in the summer if another move away from West Ham is a possibility.
