Derby County could capitalise on Crystal Palace player news ahead of Championship return: View | OneFootball

Derby County's celebrations will be winding down having secured promotion to the Championship last month, with full focus on the summer ahead and, maybe, eyes drifting onto a former player in James Tomkins.

The Rams concluded their impressive season by claiming the final automatic promotion spot on the final day of the League One campaign, fending off Bolton Wanderers by claiming a comfortable home victory against Carlisle United at Pride Park.

But the East Midlands club look set for a busy summer as they prepare for a return to the second tier, starting with those players who are out of contract at the club and deciding where their immediate futures lie.

Currently, 12 players are set to leave Derby following the conclusion of the regular League One season, including the likes of Louie Sibley, Joe Wildsmith and Conor Hourihane. Paul Warne admitted that those decisions would be made once promotion had been secured, with those talks likely to be well underway.

But the Rams will also want to strengthen heading back to the Championship, and could be reunited with a player who played seven games for them 16 years ago.

James Tomkins released by Crystal Palace

On Friday afternoon, it was announced by Crystal Palace that James Tomkins would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old defender arrived at Selhurst Park in 2016 from West Ham United, and would go on to make 135 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles.

His most memorable stint for the club came during the 2018/19 season, helping Palace equal their highest ever points tally in a Premier League season, playing in 30 league games.

Tomkins has managed just four appearances this term, three of which have been from the substitutes bench, with the likes of Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi and Chris Richards all ahead of him in the pecking order.

And with new head coach Oliver Glasner now in charge, the decision has been taken to part ways with the defender who has spent eight years in SE25, with the potential of joining another club as he approaches the latter stages of his career.

Paul Warne could consider bringing James Tomkins to Pride Park

An option Tomkins could consider would be a return to Pride Park during the summer, having played seven games for the Rams during the 2008/09 season on a five-week loan spell.

His spell at the East Midlands club enabled him to break into the West Ham first-team under Gianfranco Zola, and would subsequently go on to make 243 appearances for the Hammers before joining Crystal Palace.

And heading into the new season, Tomkins may be an option for Warne to consider, given his experience at the top level, while also having 51 appearances in the second tier.

But a potential stumbling block could be the 35-year-old's wages. According to Capology's estimates, the defender currently earns £50,000 per week, which would certainly be out of Derby's price range ahead of the Championship season.

However, there are advantages to bringing Tomkins in for the upcoming campaign for Warne to assess in the coming months.

While the target of the transfer window was to lower the age of the current squad, with the Rams boasting the highest average aged squad in League One last term, but ensuring that maintaining that right balance of experience and youth was something that got them promoted last season.

Tomkins was part of the West Ham side who earned promotion from the Championship to the Premier League in the 2011/12 season, and having captained both Palace and the Hammers during his career, would bring in a wealth of leadership qualities that could be absent from the squad should some of the out of contract players decide to leave.

It seems like a low risk transfer for someone that has been there and done it in the division, and at 35-years-old, the deal is likely to be either a one or two-year contract.

But should the Rams pursue a potential deal for the former England U21 international, Tomkins, could potentially add another Championship promotion to his CV before he hangs up his boots.