Derby County could capitalise on 20-year-old despite Everton situation: Opinion | OneFootball

Derby County are unbeaten in their last 15 League One outings and will be slowly believing that they can sneak into the automatic promotion places under Paul Warne.

The experienced campaigners of David McGoldrick, James Collins and Conor Hourihane are beginning to have a huge impact on third tier matches, and the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and certainly Ipswich Town will be worryingly looking over their shoulders.

The Rams were performing fairly well and not a million miles below expectations under Liam Rosenior at the start of the season, but Warne’s hire looks to be a master-stroke and many will be believing that the former Rotherham United manager is capable of leading them back to Championship stability.

Derby have been operating under financial constraints this season, and that could also go on to complicate their summer transfer window.

That said, if they do go on to achieve promotion or narrowly miss out, there will likely be a desire to retain as many players as possible, given the level and relentless consistency they have been playing at.

One player who has been a valued squad member for the Rams this season, and has shown signs that he could become a key player in the future is Lewis Dobbin.

The 2o-year-old is on loan from Everton, and the player and his representatives may feel that regular first team opportunities in the Championship would be an appropriate next step for the forward, looking to 2023/24.

Everton’s situation in the bottom three of the Premier League could mean that those minutes would be available with his parent club next term, however, they had no issue in loaning him to the third tier this season while suffering from a lack of attacking depth, suggesting he could be loaned out once more, even if the Toffees find themselves in the Championship.

Dobbin has featured in 93% of the Rams’ league fixtures this season, starting 15, and with positive role models like McGoldrick, even potentially the likes of Curtis Davies and James Chester, Derby could be a positive landing spot for Dobbin to reside for another season.

Quiz: Are these 20 Derby County facts real or fake?

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Derby County have won the top-flight title on two occasions

Real Fake

The 20-year-old will have two seasons remaining on his contract at Goodison Park when he returns in the summer, and given that Sean Dyche’s reputation has not been built in any part on integrating younger players into the first team, the Rams, and the culture that Warne has created this term, may become an attractive environment for Dobbin to remain a part of for another campaign.