“On the verge of a move” - International manager confirms imminent Derby County exit | OneFootball

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has revealed that Derby County midfielder Jason Knight is set to leave the club this summer.

The Rams have activated their option to extend Knight's contract, but his international boss has seemingly confirmed that will be departing Pride Park in the coming months.

How did Knight perform in 22/23?

While it was a disappointing end to the season for Paul Warne's side as they missed out on the League One play-offs, Knight enjoyed an excellent individual campaign, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 47 appearances in all competitions.

The 22-year-old's versatility proved incredibly useful for the Rams and he performed well in a number of positions including right-back, central midfield, attacking midfield and as a winger.

Who could be interested in signing Knight?

Knight was linked with Leeds United, Burnley and Newcastle United last January when he was said to be valued at £8 million, while the Clarets were said to be plotting a move in July, but a deal did not materialise.

Warne insisted in January that Knight was not for sale, but after Kenny's comments, it seems as though he is facing the prospect of losing one of his prized assets.

What did Stephen Kenny say?

Knight has been included in the Republic of Ireland squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar and ahead of those games, Kenny revealed that Knight is closing in on a move away from Pride Park as interest grows in his services.

"He's another one on the verge of a move now," Kenny told The Sun, quoted via Derbyshire Live. "A lot of clubs want to buy Jason, which will be good for him, to get back to playing at a level higher than League One.

"Derby have been great to him, he's played a high amount of games for them for someone so young. But he's at that stage where he probably needs to go and play at a higher level to kick on."

Will Derby County keep hold of Jason Knight?

It seems increasingly unlikely that the Rams will be able to retain Knight this summer.

While it is unknown which clubs Kenny is referring to that are interested in Knight, he has attracted significant interest from elsewhere previously and Derby are vulnerable to losing him after they failed to win promotion.

It will be tough to convince Knight to stay in League One and he may feel that he needs to move on to boost his international prospects after Kenny's remarks.