How is ex-Derby County player Johnny Russell getting on at the moment? | OneFootball

Johnny Russell still playing his trade for Sporting Kansas City in the MLS, the franchise he left Derby County for in January 2018.

The Scotsman is a key senior player for SKC and will be hoping his side can improve majorly after finishing 12th in the Western Conference out of 14 teams.

Russell played 203 times for Derby in four and half seasons, scoring 34 and assisting 34 as well, a very healthy record for a wide player. He was brought in by Nigel Clough from Dundee United in 2013 for £750,000 initially as a striker before Steve McClaren moved him to the right-hand side of a front three.

The move paid dividends for Russell and Derby as the attacker was a key figure for the Rams until his departure in 2018.

It was however a frustrating spell at the club with the Rams coming very close to winning promotion to the Premier League, with Russell ultimately moving on when Gary Rowett was in charge and is thriving in MLS as the competition grows in quality year on year.

Russell has so far scored 40 goals in 113 games for SKC and was made captain of the franchise ahead of the 2021 season. However, his quest for club glory continues with SKC failing to reach the final for the playoffs.

There was rumours of a return to football in the last year, with The Sun reporting that he was set to become the subject of a transfer tug-of-war between Newcastle United, Sheffield United and Fulham, although a move never materialised.

Russell will be fondly remembered at Derby County, in coming so close to taking the club back to the promised land but also for the consistency of his strong, passionate performances.

Quiz: What shirt number are these 25 current Derby County players?

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Conor Hourihane?

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It will be interesting to see if the 14-time Scotland international does ever return to the EFL, or the United Kingdom at that, to finish his career closer to home. But for now his focus will be on securing a spot in the play-offs after a poor 2022 campaign with SKC.