4 Premier League players that Derby County could sign ft Chelsea player | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at 4 players who Derby County could sign during the summer transfer window.

Derby County boss Paul Warne will want to make further additions to his squad this summer in preparation for the Rams' first season back in the Championship.

Derby will play Championship football for the first time in two years when they start their 2024/25 campaign against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on August 9th.

Warne guided the Rams back to the second tier last season, beating Bolton Wanderers to a top-two finish in League One and securing the fourth promotion of his managerial career in the process.

Derby have brought in five new players so far this summer, while Corey Blackett-Taylor's move from Charlton Athletic has become permanent, and they are expected to make further signings before the upcoming season gets underway. They also beat Plymouth Argyle to the loan signing of Crystal Palace midfielder David Ozoh, strengthening a midfield that has already had Kenzo Goudmijn, Ebou Adams and Ben Osborn added to it.

Let's take a look at a few other players that Derby could sign on loan from the Premier League to bolster Warne's squad.

Harvey Davies

Derby conceded just 37 goals in League One last season, which meant they boasted the best defensive record in the division over the course of the campaign.

Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith kept 20 clean sheets, earning him the Golden Glove award, but he has now moved on and signed for fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion.

The Rams look set to sign Swedish shot-stopper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, but they will likely need to bring in another 'keeper, and they should push to sign one with real quality, as their defensive record will be vital under Warne again next season.

Liverpool's Harvey Davies could be a good option to add strength in depth to Derby's goalkeeping unit. He spent last season on loan at Crewe Alexandra, helping the League Two side reach the play-offs.

The highly-rated 20-year-old would be able to provide cover for Zetterstrom and compete with Josh Vickers to be the second-choice goalkeeper at Pride Park next season, if Liverpool are willing to send him on loan to the Championship.

Bashir Humphreys

Another player who was sent out on loan by a Premier League club last season is Chelsea defender Bashir Humphreys. The centre-back made 26 appearances in all competitions for Swansea City.

Derby switched between a back four and a back three depending on their opposition in League One last season and in a higher division next term, Warne may opt for the latter more regularly.

The Rams currently have Eiran Cashin, Curtis Nelson and Sonny Bradley as their defensive options, while youngster Jake Rooney is continuing his recovery from the long-term injury he suffered against Bolton last season.

Signing Humphreys on loan from Chelsea would give Derby some strength in depth next season, as well as giving Warne more flexibility with his formation.

The 21-year-old, who has played in the first team for his parent club, would also add some extra athleticism, which some of Derby's other centre-backs do not possess.

Martial Godo

Fulham's promising winger Martial Godo is another Premier League youngster who could add something to Derby's squad next season.

The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Wigan Athletic in League One, where he scored four goals and assisted four more in the third tier.

His pace, directness, and dribbling ability made him a nightmare for full-backs last season, and the natural next step for him would be to make a loan move to the Championship ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Derby have Blackett-Taylor, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, and Tom Barkhuizen as their current options in wide areas, so the signing of Godo would be a good addition to provide competition for places on both flanks.

The Rams' ability to counter-attack could be crucial next season and Godo could make them a much more effective team on the break.

Jude Soonsup-Bell

Striker Jude Soonsup-Bell left Chelsea to join Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, and he will surely have his sights set on the first loan move of his career in the near future.

The 20-year-old was highly impressive for Spurs' under-21s in Premier League 2 last season, scoring 10 goals and assisting six in 19 appearances.

Derby have added Kayden Jackson and Jerry Yates to their striking department, which already included Conor Washington and James Collins. At 27, Yates is the only forward under the age of 30 in Derby's squad for next season, so the signing of Soonsup-Bell could give Warne a slightly more dynamic and unpredictable option in certain games.