Derby County should look to Man Utd if Arsenal talks fail: View | OneFootball

With the January transfer window upon us, clubs across the EFL have the opportunity to sign players from other clubs for the first time since the summer.

Whilst Derby County will be no exception to this rule as they try to chase down an automatic promotion spot in League One, the Rams are also focused on trying to keep a player at the club at present.

Derby County want to re-sign Tyreece John-Jules

Indeed, having only joined on a short-term loan deal back in the summer, Arsenal youngster Tyreece John-Jules is soon set to return to North London.

As per a recent report from DerbyshireLive, though, the Rams are in talks over extending his stay at Pride Park until the end of the season.

Derby boss Paul Warne has also confirmed the club want to keep the player at the club, and that the player himself is also keen on

"I hope so," Warne told DerbyshireLive on whether John-Jules could re-sign for the club.

"We've had conversations with Arsenal, the player wants to stay and the agent wants him to stay here too.

"We still have to manage him well to get him on the pitch and hopefully Arsenal will see the benefit of him staying here with us.

"But I'd like to keep him."

After suffering a thigh injury early on during his stay at Pride Park, John-Jules has featured regularly from the bench in recent weeks as he ramps his fitness back up and naturally, Derby want to keep him around for the rest of the campaign.

Derby County could target Man Utd's Joe Hugill

Of course, though, whilst Derby are keen on keeping the 22-year-old, his parent club Arsenal may have other ideas.

The truth is that at this stage, we just do not know what decision the North London club will take.

With that in mind, Derby should be keeping alternatives in mind, and perhaps one player the Rams could enquire about is Manchester United forward Joe Hugill.

As per The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell, Hugill has recently signed a new deal at United until 2026 and is now set to go out on loan for the second half of the season to either a League One or League Two club. Why can't that club be the Rams?

Given the 20-year-old's goalscoring record for United's youth sides, he could be well worth a punt for Derby if John-Jules does not return.

This season, for example, Hugill has scored eight goals and registered one assist in 12 appearances for Man Utd's Under-21 side, which follows up an equally prolific season for them last year, when he netted 11 goals in 12 Premier League 2 matches.

For United's Under-18 and Under-21 side, as per Transfermarkt, Hugill has scored 49 goals and registered seven assists in 81 matches, which suggests he could well cut it in the EFL.

It would certainly be a gamble for Derby, but Hugill clearly has talent, and if they are unable to land John-Jules once again, the Manchester United man would make for a great alternative.

Furthermore, United would learn far more about Hugill's future potential by sending him to a big club like Derby competing at the sharp end of League One, as opposed to a mid-table League One or League Two side.

Indeed, it would appear to be a deal that makes sense for all sides, providing John-Jules cannot be landed once again.