Derby County should be monitoring Ipswich Town situation ahead of the summer: View | OneFootball

Derby County are in a battle for promotion back to the Championship in just their second season away from the second tier.

Paul Warne’s side are currently sitting in third position in League One, and are just one point off of the automatic promotion places.

Derby are fighting it out with Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Peterborough United for one of the two places in the automatics.

The Rams have had a number of highly influential players this season, with Eiran Cashin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing regularly taking the headlines.

Max Bird has been fantastic in Derby’s midfield this season but he was the subject of a January move to Bristol City in the Championship. They signed him on Deadline Day for an undisclosed fee, before loaning him back to the Rams.

As he is leaving Pride Park in the summer, he will need replacing. One potential option for Warne could be Ipswich Town midfielder Idris El-Mizouni.

Idris El-Mizouni continues to impress in League One

El-Mizouni is a central midfielder, currently on loan at the Rams’ divisional rivals Leyton Orient from Ipswich.

The 23-year-old has been at Ipswich his entire professional career, having signed his first professional deal with the club in 2018.

He would make four appearances for the first team in his debut season but the Tractor Boys were relegated to League One.

The Tunisia international would play a part in the first half of the next season, contributing to four goals in nine appearances across all competitions.

Having impressed, he made his first loan move away from the club to Cambridge United in January 2020.

He would go on to play seven times in League Two before suffering medial ligament damage to his knee, which ruled him out for the rest of that season.

Rejoining the U’s for a second spell the next season, it did not go as well. Only making 11 league appearances, he was recalled and sent back out on loan to Grimsby Town in League Two. He would only make six appearances for them, though.

After a season back at Ipswich, he spent last season on loan at Orient and was instrumental in them winning League Two. He made 41 league appearances.

Rejoining Orient on loan this season, he has played in every single game for them in the third tier this season as Richie Wellens’ side have been pushing towards a top half finish.

El-Mizouni could be ideal Max Bird replacement

El-Mizouni has shown that he could be a shrewd addition in the summer as a replacement for Bird.

In recent weeks, Bird has been playing in midfield alongside Ebou Adams whose defensive capabilities have allowed Bird to express himself going forward. A system in which El-Mizouni could easily fit into.

His best attribute has to be ball-carrying, bringing the ball forward with ease and laying off the ball for others. Whilst his attacking output has not hit the heights of last season, at 23 years old, he will only get better.

His contract at Ipswich is also set to expire at the end of the season, so he would be available on a free. However, Ipswich do have the option to extend the contract by a further year, should they wish to do so. Even if they do trigger, it is likely to be a small fee.

Adding to that, the Rams have also had previous interest. It was reported that they had bid for him last summer, before he rejoined Orient on loan.

Even if Derby are promoted, he would be a smart acquisition. He may take time to adapt to that level. But he has shown this season that given time, he has the potential.