Derby County: Capitalising on Ipswich Town decision looking early masterstroke - View | OneFootball

Kayden Jackson joined the Rams in July as a free agent, and has made an impact already.

Derby County have been shrewd in the transfer market over the last few years and have once again brought in fantastic players for a very minimal overall cost.

The Rams made 11 new signings this summer as they aim to maintain their Championship status following promotion from League One on the final day of the 2023/24 campaign.

One of those players to arrive at Pride Park is Kayden Jackson, with the 30-year-old joining Derby after his contract expired at Ipswich Town.

Jackson helped the Tractor Boys to promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, with Keiran McKenna's side playing top-flight football just two seasons after they occupied a place in the third tier alongside Paul Warne's Derby.

Nevertheless, the 30-year-old, who can operate as either a striker or as a winger, has made an instant impact in the East Midlands and is quickly winning himself over with supporters.

Jackson's goalscoring has been a surprising quality

Jackson arrived at Derby without much fanfare. He has been a decent player for Ipswich, but never truly lit up Portman Road, and instead he played a supporting role for some of the club's more clinical players, such as Conor Chaplin.

The former Wrexham forward scored just 13 goals in the three years before he made the move to the Rams but has already found the back of the net three times in black-and-white.

All of his goals have come at Pride Park Stadium, and have been incredibly important strikes for the team in different situations.

His first came in the Carabao Cup, with his 68th-minute volley on the turn winning the tie for the team against Chesterfield.

Just days later, he scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Championship. He capitalised on a sluggish back pass from Isiah Jones to Boro goalkeeper Senny Dieng, rounding the shot-stopper and dispatching the ball into an empty net.

All three of Jackson's goals have been extremely different from one another, with the pick of the bunch coming in Derby's 3-0 win over Bristol City ahead of the first international break of the season.

He smashed home past Max O'Leary to give the Rams a 2-0 lead and help ensure that all three points would be claimed by the home team.

Jackson has linked up well with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing already

The Rams have added a lot more pace to their team in recent years, particularly down the wings, and Jackson only helps with that.

In their win over the Robins, Derby's wingers were able to get at the opposition's full-backs often. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has had the freedom of the wings in League One in his first two seasons at the club, and Jackson looks to have doubled the danger on the other side since his arrival.

It's an attack that could put fear into Championship defences this year, and with Jerry Yates causing a nuisance for centre-backs with his excellent movement, Derby will not be pushovers like some may have tipped them to be.

With Cardiff City visiting Pride Park after the international break, Warne's side have the opportunity to inflict further damage on a club that has struggled so far in 2024/25, and Jackson will be hoping to add to his goal tally.

It was no huge surprise to see Ipswich let the striker leave but capitalising on that decision looks an early masterstroke from the Rams.