Derby County should look to bring Man City striker back to Pride Park this summer: Opinion | OneFootball

Even though they'd been in turmoil for the previous couple of years, Derby County were expected to push for immediate promotion from League One last season thanks to the squad that they had put together under new owner David Clowes.

And though they may have missed out on the play-offs on the final day of the 2022-23 campaign, the Rams are well positioned to have a good crack at finishing in the top two after the likes of Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday went up.

Paul Warne has focused on adding plenty of Championship and League One experience so far this summer, with Joe Ward, Curtis Nelson, Callum Elder, and Josh Vickers all strengthening the squad significantly.

If there's an area of concern still for Warne though it is perhaps in attack, where they've lost the goals and experience of David McGoldrick this summer.

After scoring 25 times for the Rams last season, McGoldrick has opted to join his boyhood club Notts County of League Two in a move that you cannot begrudge the Republic of Ireland international for.

It does leave just James Collins as Warne's only option as a central striker, but they could - and should - explore a loan deal for a former County prospect in the form of Liam Delap, who could do with a top League One loan to kick-start his senior career, and where better to do it than the club he started his career at?

The son of ex-Stoke City midfielder Rory, Delap joined Derby's academy as a young child and spent 10 years with the club.

But in 2019 he was snapped up by Man City after his performances for the club at youth level and also for the England national team, scoring six times in 10 outings for the Three Lions' under-16's.

Delap was a prolific scorer for City in his first two years at developmental level, leading to a senior debut in September 2020 in the EFL Cup against Bournemouth and a first goal in men's football to boot.

2021-22 was an injury-hit season for Delap, but he still scored eight times in 12 appearances for City's under-21's, which led to a loan move into the Championship to Stoke City for the 2022-23 campaign.

Delap wasn't playing regularly for the Potters and he was recalled and sent to Preston North End instead for the remainder of the campaign in January, where he scored just the once in 15 outings.

Why should Derby County re-sign Liam Delap?

Now back at Man City this summer, Delap will not be around the first-team squad on the basis of his performances in the 2022-23 season in the Championship, but he still needs regular minutes at senior level.

Perhaps the Championship was too much too soon for the forward, and with his lack of goals at that level it could be wise for City to send him to a top League One club to help get his confidence back.

And at Derby, Delap would not only be in familiar surroundings but he would be the leading man up-front under Warne considering his lack of options.

At times last season, he did show his qualities with his one and only goal for PNE showing his poachers instinct by being in the right place at the right time to put the ball in the back of the net against Sheffield United, and he also showed his pace and strength on occasion as well.

It just didn't really seem to all come together for the youngster though, but importantly he's still only 20 years old and has a lot of learning to do.

Delap's physicality should see him match up well with League One defenders but he has pace to burn as well when he gets going and that could mean he is a real asset in the third tier.

It makes complete sense for Derby to target a move for Delap this summer - whether they choose to do so though remains to be seen.