The 2 Derby County players already facing up to a January full of speculation | OneFootball

Derby County's start to the season has been less than ideal.

The club have massively underperformed compared to their expectations. Some pundits and experts picked Derby to get promoted or even win the league but they currently sit 12th in the table, having won three, drawn one, and lost three.

Manager Paul Warne came under pressure early in the season, but things have started to pick up a bit now.

Despite the heat coming off of Warne a bit, things might get worse for them if they lose key players in January and it would be no surprise if there was interest from the Championship or the Premier League when the winter window opens.

Looking ahead to the turn of the year, we've highlighted two Rams players already facing up to a January of transfer speculation...

Eiran Cashin

You might have been able to tell who one of the Derby players was based on the fact that he had interest from clubs in the best league in the world.

The Irishman has been immense throughout his time at the club. He was given his first taste of professional football by Wayne Rooney, when the former England captain was in charge of the club. He impressed as a teenager in the Championship, and he's continued to do so since the club was relegated to League One

The 21-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Brighton & Hove Albion and you know a young player is good if the Seagulls are trying to acquire him.

They tried on multiple occasions to get Cashin, but all the offers were rejected. They weren't able to get a deal before the end of the summer transfer window, but, with a £3 million price tag, Brighton might be tempted to come back in for the defender.

He's barely missed a game for the Rams during their time in League One. He will be tough to replace if he does go, especially in the January window.

Max Bird

There are strong suggestions being made that Bird will be looked at, again, by Hull City in the new year.

Hull Live journalist Baz Cooper believes that the Tigers will make another move for the midfielder once the transfer window re-opens.

Cooper added that it'd make sense for Derby to sell him as his contract with the club is up at the end of the season, and that "because he's under 24, they would be entitled to whatever compensation could be agreed between the two clubs but logic suggests it wouldn't be a huge amount."

Bird featured in the club's first four games of the 2023/24 season, but he hasn't made an appearance since picking up an injury in August. This is what originally put pale to Hull's plans to sign him.

It would probably be smart to offload the wages, and get some extra money, for a player who could be leaving for free in 10 months' time.