Derby County deal QPR and Birmingham City big Koki Saito transfer blow | OneFootball

Derby County have had a bid for Japanese winger Saito accepted by Lommel SK.

Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City have been dealt a massive blow in their pursuit of Japanese winger Koki Saito as Derby County have met Lommel's valuation for the winger.

Derby have been busy so far this summer, with John Eustace's side having made ten new additions to the squad, and have made inroads to make Saito their 11th incoming.

The Rams have also held a firm interest in Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis, with Eustace keen to reunite with the midfielder who he worked with at Ewood Park, seeing a £1.5 million bid plus add-ons knocked backed by Rovers.

Derby County favourites to land Koki Saito signature ahead of Birmingham City and QPR

QPR and Birmingham had held a keen interest in Lommel SK winger Saito, who spent the last season on-loan with the Hoops in the Championship and impressed.

But it has emerged that Derby have agreed a deal with the Belgian side to sign Saito after meeting their valuation of around £5 million, as per Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath via X.

McGrath states that the Rams are now in final talks with Lommel over a deal for the Japanese youth international, and are holding discussions with the player and his representatives.

Derby have begun the Championship campaign with back-to-back losses, having been defeated 3-1 away at Stoke City in their opening fixture and succumbing to a 5-3 home defeat to ex-manager Lampard's Coventry City, despite being 3-2 up at one stage.

Eustace would have been hoping for a better start to the season, and seemingly is far from done in the transfer market, having agreed a deal in principle to sign Saito.

Derby have preferred to set up in a 3-5-2 formation under Eustace towards the back end of last season and the start of this one, and with Saito being an out-and-out winger, he will add a different dimension to the Rams attack.

The 24-year-old, who prefers to cut in on his right off of the left, allows Eustace to be more versatile in how he sets up his team, with Corey Blackett-Taylor, Andreas Weimann and Joe Ward all able to deputise on the right side of attack if needs be.

Saito signing would be a huge statement of intent from Derby

Having spent last season on-loan with QPR, the Japanese Under-23 international scored three goals and grabbed a further three assists in 39 Championship games, having largely impressed during his first season in England.

Saito now looks set for a return to England with Derby, in what is a huge statement of intent by the Rams.

Saito's signing will take Derby's transfer expenditure well in excess of over £10 million, having already completed a deal to sign United States international striker Patrick Agyemang from MLS side Charlotte for a reported £7.3 million.

The American has been unavailable for the beginning of the season after undergoing surgery for a long-standing hernia injury, though Eustace will no doubt be keen to get him fit and firing as soon as possible.

With an attack boasting the likes of Agyemang, Saito, Carlton Morris, Bobby Clark and Rhian Brewster, Derby will be full of goals moving forwards this season.