‘Could be a good signing’ – Derby County enter midfielder transfer race: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County have entered the race to sign Rotherham United midfielder Matt Crooks, a report from The East Anglian Daily Times has revealed.

Ipswich Town have previously been credited with an interest in Crooks, who is entering the final of year his contract with Rotherham, with the Millers preparing for life back in League One after relegation from the Championship last season.

Crooks has scored 21 goals in 97 appearances in all competitions for Rotherham, since joining from Northampton in 2019, and Derby are now said to be lining up a move for the 27-year-old, as they look to avoid another poor season next time around, having only avoided relegation on the final day in 2020/21.

So would Crooks be a good signing for Derby? And is he a player that the Rams need to bring to Pride Park?

We put that question to some of our Football League World writers, and here, is a look at what they had to say.

Ned Holmes

This could be a good signing for Derby but you’d question what it would mean for the likes of Max Bird.

Crooks impressed for Rotherham last term and is deserving of a move back to the Championship.

The midfielder is strong both with and without the ball, capable of breaking up play and having an impact in the final third.

With just a year left on his deal and the Millers now a League One club, it could be a move that doesn’t cost the Rams too much.

However, you’d question whether it could have a negative impact on the development of players like Bird and potentially Jason Knight.

It’s not as easy as just signing him, there’s more to it than that.

Can you get 21/21 on this quiz every Derby fan should be able to get 100% on?

Phil Spencer

This would be a great signing for Matt Crooks.

While last season ultimately ended in disappointment for Rotherham United there’s no doubt that certain members of Paul Warne’s side caught the eye.

The central midfielder was certainly one of them after scoring six and creating three in 40 Championship appearances.

The 27-year-old is certainly good enough to be playing in the Championship and if he can find a home under Wayne Rooney at Pride Park then it could be the ideal platform to really kick on.

Rotherham will be reluctant to see but if a deal can be struck I’m sure that Crooks would be open to the move.

Toby Wilding

I do think that this could be a decent signing for Derby if they are able to pull it off.

It does seem as though the Rams are going to need something of a overhaul this summer, having only avoided relegation from the Championship on the final day of last season.

Crooks is someone who could help them do that, with the midfielder one of Rotherham’s stronger performers last season despite their relegation, and he will be determined to prove that he is a player of Championship quality, something Derby can give him the chance to do.

Indeed, Crooks’ ability to chip in with goals from midfield could also be a useful asset from the Rams, given their lack of a prolific goalscorer last season, so I do think that this is one worth following up on for Rooney and co.