Derby County must take immediate transfer action after huge Corey Blackett-Taylor blow | OneFootball

Corey Blackett-Taylor's injury should accelerate Derby County's plans to bring in new wingers.

After a strong summer of transfer business, it was a disappointing start to the season for Derby County as they were beaten 3-1 by Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday.

The Rams only narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship last season, but John Eustace's side have been tipped by many to be one of the dark horses in the division this campaign after some eye-catching transfer activity.

The Rams have brought in 10 new signings so far this summer, with Richard O'Donnell, Danny Batth, Dion Sanderson, Owen Beck, David Ozoh, Bobby Clark, Andreas Weimann, Carlton Morris, Patrick Agyemang and Rhian Brewster all arriving at Pride Park.

It looked as though Eustace's recruitment drive was already paying off when Morris gave Derby the lead against Stoke in the 60th minute, but Lewis Baker quickly equalised before stoppage-time goals from Divin Mubama and Sorba Thomas sealed all three points for the Potters.

If the manner of their late collapse was not disappointing enough for the Rams, they also suffered further frustration in the closing stages of the game as winger Corey Blackett-Taylor went off due to injury.

John Eustace makes Derby County transfer admission after Corey Blackett-Taylor blow

Blackett-Taylor initially joined Derby on loan from Charlton in January 2024 before making the move permanent last summer, but it is fair to say his time at Pride Park has not been as productive as he would have hoped so far.

The 27-year-old scored just one goal in 13 appearances during an injury-disrupted campaign last season, with only five of those coming from the start, but he forced his way into Eustace's plans with some impressive pre-season performances, and he was handed a start on the opening day against Stoke.

Blackett-Taylor rewarded his manager's faith as he provided the assist for Morris' opening goal, but he was substituted in the 80th minute with a hamstring injury, and he will now be sidelined for the next six weeks, with Eustace admitting that the Rams may need to enter the transfer market to cover his absence.

"Possibly if the right ones are available," Eustace told the BBC.

"We can't bring in players just for the sake of it, we'll have to look at it.

"I know the club are working very hard on the recruitment side so we'll just take it from there."

Corey Blackett-Taylor injury highlights Derby County problem that John Eustace must solve

After the departures of Tom Barkhuizen and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing over the summer, Derby were already short on numbers in the wide areas prior to Blackett-Taylor's injury, but Eustace's options have now been even further depleted.

In fact, Blackett-Taylor is currently the only out-and-out winger on the Rams' books, and Eustace was forced to play Kayden Jackson on the right against Stoke, with Andreas Weimann filling in on the left for the final 10 minutes after the former Charlton man limped off.

Having struggled for goals last season, Derby have significantly strengthened their forward line this summer with the additions of Morris, Agyemang and Brewster, but Eustace will not be able to get the best out of his new strikers without wingers to provide them with the necessary service.

Eustace admitted that Blackett-Taylor was "quite quiet" against Stoke before producing the cross that set up Morris' goal, and that shows the importance of having wingers who can come up with a moment of magic and deliver a dangerous ball into the box.

Jackson and Weimann are both solid options to cover in the wide areas over the coming weeks, but both are now over the age of 30 and would ideally prefer to play through the middle, and the Rams are in desperate need of younger and pacier wingers that can help Eustace play to the strengths of Morris, Agyemang and Brewster.

Having already brought in 10 new players this summer, it remains to be seen whether Derby have the resources to add to their squad further, and with owner David Clowes appearing to hint at a potential sale of the club in recent days, he may be acknowledging his own financial limitations.