Charlton Athletic raid could help Derby County replace Jason Knight: Opinion | OneFootball

Derby County are set to finally lose academy graduate Jason Knight to Bristol City after failing to achieve promotion from the third-tier of English football - though the Irishman's exit could be offset quite easily.

The 22-year-old has been one of Derby’s shining lights for the past few seasons, joining the club in 2017 and failing to look back since. Over 150 appearances for the Rams at the age of just 22, mustering 20 Ireland caps and even captaining the side under Wayne Rooney’s guidance has shown he is a proven, consistent star.

However, after failing to have achieved promotion to the second-tier this season after a final day loss to Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City have offered Knight another bite at the cherry in the Championship - leaving Derby in the lurch. But the Rams should have no qualms about replacing Knight if they come to their wits and sound out a move for Charlton star Scott Fraser.

Why should Derby County sign Scott Fraser?

At 28 years of age, Fraser is not a long-term replacement for Jason Knight. But it is his excellence going forward in the third-tier that Derby should look at as a key selling point to bring him to the East Midlands.

First playing in League One when he signed for Burton Albion back in 2018, Fraser hit the ground running with the Brewers by scoring six and five goals in his two seasons at the Pirelli Stadium; it was a sign of things to come, but it also showed that the Scot is comfortable in the East Midlands, which wouldn’t make a move to Derby any real shock given he has already spent time in and around the area.

The following season, in a Covid-19 ridden 2020/21 campaign, he hit 14 goals in all competitions for MK Dons, which saw him voted Player of the Season by those at the Stadium:MK. And, despite a relatively disappointing move to Ipswich, he has since continued his dominance of the third-tier at Charlton, where he hit nine last season to become their third top scorer behind loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and young striker Miles Leaburn to cement his name as one of the division’s best players.

That can only stand him in good stead for Derby; they need players to get them out of the third-tier almost immediately, and as a goalscorer he could somewhat contribute to the goals that David McGoldrick has left behind, with the Notts County academy graduate making a surprise move back to where it all began.

How much would Scott Fraser roughly cost Derby County?

Given Charlton have not sold any players for a big fee in recent seasons, they could well be in need of some cash to keep running costs afloat at the Valley.

In recent seasons, Macauley Bonne and Mason Burstow are the only two players who have departed the club for big fees; and even Bonne, who flopped at QPR, returned to Charlton, where he couldn’t find his feet by being released again this summer.

As a result, it would likely take less than the £2m Derby are receiving for Knight to sign Fraser - though Charlton may well ask for a fee of in and around £1million, owing to the two years he has left on his contract.

How much are Derby County receiving from the Jason Knight deal?

Jason Knight in action for the Republic of Ireland.

Bristol City have been long-term admirers of Knight, and it appears that they are finally set to land their man. According to the Telegraph, it is a deal that will cost them around £2million; taking advantage of Derby’s poor financial record and the potential sale of Alex Scott for £25m to Premier League clubs, the Robins have made good use of any potential budget.

Knight has not travelled to Spain for Derby’s pre-season training camp, and he will have a medical in the coming days. Of course, a move that would take Kane Wilson to Derby as part of the deal has been discussed, but with the 23-year-old being a right-back, he would not immediately cover the sale of Knight.