Potential reason emerges behind Derby County’s cut-price sale of Graeme Shinnie to Wigan Athletic | OneFootball

It was a considerable shock to many to hear that the Rams had reportedly cashed in on the 30-year-old for just £30,000, despite the midfielder being an exceptionally important figure to the club this season.

Although youngster Liam Thompson has stepped up to the plate well in the middle of the park since November, Shinnie was an extremely valued squad member as a senior head in a very inexperienced squad, making a respectable 21 league appearances for Wayne Rooney’s men this term.

Quiz: Can you name which club Derby County signed these 28 defenders from?

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Matt Clarke

Brighton and Hove Albion Manchester United Manchester City Portsmouth

However, his stay at Pride Park has been brought to an end prematurely, capping off another turbulent week for the East Midlands outfit as they also lost ex-England international Phil Jagielka on a free transfer to Stoke City.

This move was due to the transfer embargo Derby were placed under by the EFL as they missed a deadline to name a bidder to take the club forward, a process that has been held up by disputes with EFL duo Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers.

With this, they weren’t able to tie Jagielka down to fresh terms and with Shinnie’s previous contract at Pride Park expiring at the end of the campaign, administrators have taken the decision to sell him on, taking £250,000 off the wage bill for the struggling club according to The Sun’s Nixon.

Jason Knight , although it remains to be seen whether a sale becomes a necessity as the Rams look to both stay in business and stay afloat in the second tier.

The Verdict:

This is an interesting figure – and perhaps a painful one for the Rams – because that doesn’t seem like a huge wage considering there’s still half the season left to go with his previous contract not running out until the summer.

However, this saving could end up being crucial to their survival with their survival likely to go to the wire at this rate if they continue to have problems with Boro and Wycombe.

In the short term, this sale is a real blow and with the transfer embargo hanging over their heads, it’s not as if they can easily replace him or even bring a cheap loanee in to fill this void. Not only do they lose depth with his departure, but also experience with Jagielka and Shinnie both leaving.

For the longer term, however, they will be glad they haven’t cashed in on the likes of Lee Buchanan or Max Bird yet, two young players who can provide the Rams with a bright future if a takeover occurs and they are then able to offer out fresh terms to some of their most promising young players.

However, those players remaining at the club may depend on whether they can retain their second-tier status or not – and the departure of the 30-year-old has slightly harmed their chances – though they are still in with a shout.