3 Jerry Yates upgrades Derby County should be targeting in the January transfer window | OneFootball

The Rams are in need of a striker who will score consistent goals, with Yates struggling to find the back of the net.

Derby County's season has slightly flatlined since the October international break, with the Rams struggling to score on a consistent basis in Championship action.

In their first four games since returning from that stoppage, they have scored just four times, with the first three of those resulting in consecutive 1-1 draws.

It has not quite been what Paul Warne had been hoping for from his team, with performance levels at a significant drop compared to what they had been earlier on in the campaign, and this has allowed those below them in the table to slowly start to catch up.

A huge issue currently is the lack of goals coming from Derby's strikers, with Jerry Yates still stuck on just one goal from his first 11 matches, despite an extremely bright start to life in the East Midlands.

It seems as though another forward will be the target in the January transfer window, and Football League World has taken a look at three who should be on the Rams' radar this winter to help improve the team going forward.

Joe Taylor

Joe Taylor's Luton Town career has struggled to take off, even though he has proven to be a clinical striker for both Lincoln City and Colchester United already in the last year.

The 21-year-old seemed destined to leave the Hatters in the summer, but a move never materialised, and he has struggled for minutes at Kenilworth Road since the season started.

It seems a bizarre decision that Rob Edwards has not given the youngster more of a chance considering his eye for goal, and moving on in January could be the best for his career.

Derby are in desperate need of a striker who can get in behind and cause issues for opposition defenders, as currently, Yates is a player who prefers to play with his back to goal and help with the build-up play.

Taylor was linked with a switch to Huddersfield Town in the summer, and while he only has limited Championship experience at the moment, he is more than worth the risk.

Derby know all about the former Peterborough United man from last season, as he caused plenty of issues for Lincoln against the Rams, only just failing to find the back of the net, and he could bring a new element of danger to Warne's side.

Similar to Taylor at the Hatters, Joe Gelhardt has found it difficult to become a mainstay in the Leeds United team, and the January transfer window can not come quick enough for the former Wigan Athletic ace.

This season has been extremely difficult for the 22-year-old, featuring just twice, racking up less than 10 minutes of football since the season began back in August.

Gelhardt does have a contract until 2027, something that will make a permanent move difficult, so, if the Rams do take an interest in the striker, it may have to be on a loan deal.

Nevertheless, it would not be surprising to see the Whites lower their asking price to get him off their books, considering he is obviously not in the plans of Daniel Farke in the future.

A slight risk, Gelhardt does possess the talent to start firing in goals, but he may need a bit of time to get up to speed due to his lack of game-time.

However, a player with his potential should be high up on Warne's list, as he is still young and can grow into the player that is needed to start pushing Derby up the Championship.

Ali Al-Hamadi

Ali Al-Hamadi has also found minutes hard to come by this season, with Liam Delap's form in the Premier League ensuring that the striker position is his to lose, with George Hirst providing decent backup as well.

Signing from AFC Wimbledon in January, the 22-year-old has started just once in the league since moving to Portman Road, and he will potentially feel as though his development is being hindered by this lack of time on the pitch.

His goal record in the Championship was good, especially as he was forced to come on from the bench in 13 of his 14 appearances, scoring nearly once every 70 minutes.

It is this impressive feat that will attract Warne to Al-Hamadi in January, and a loan deal could be the perfect way to get the striker playing again, and give Derby a player who is consistently dangerous in front of goal.