Derby County face three transfer concerns, one involves Tom Barkhuizen | OneFootball

The Rams have had a decent start to the season, but will have some worries in the upcoming window.

Derby County have had a decent start to life in the Championship following promotion from League One last season, and they have shown their solidity as a team on several occasions already.

The Rams are in a tight battle with multiple other clubs in mid-table. However, the threat of relegation is still strong and the upcoming January transfer window will offer them a chance to strengthen.

Nevertheless, there will also be players that Paul Warne will look to off-load and create space in the squad for incoming stars. The East Midlands club had a busy summer and brought in over 10 new players to help them in their battle against relegation, but more depth is desperately needed.

However, there are other concerns in his own squad that he will keep a keen eye on in the next month, and Football League World has taken a look at three dilemmas that the 51-year-old faces in January.

Tom Barkhuizen does not move on

One of the larger issues that Warne faces right now is that he cannot register any more players at this moment in time, with Derby filling the 25-player quota through their summer signings and those who were already at the club.

Tom Barkhuizen is one player that is taking up space in the squad without having much of an impact on the pitch.

It's been a frustrating season for the 31-year-old, who played a key role in the Rams' promotion in the last campaign, and he has mostly been forced to feature from the bench when given the opportunity to impress his manager.

A calf injury saw him miss around two months of action, but he has never truly proven why he deserves to feature in the starting XI in the Championship in 2024/25, with other options a lot more likely to provide from out wide.

Derby must find a way to move the former Preston North End man this January, otherwise it would be both money on wages and a place in the squad wasted for another four months.

Eiran Cashin is targeted by Premier League clubs again

While they will need to sell or loan out some of their current squad, keeping hold of Eiran Cashin must be seen as a priority, but there will be some fears that the centre-back is the subject of Premier League interest once again.

He was targeted by Brighton & Hove Albion throughout the summer of 2023, and while a deal could never be agreed between all parties then, it would not be a surprise to see the Seagulls or a similar club come back in January to take the 23-year-old off of Derby's hands.

Although he is not the tallest of defenders, few can cast doubt on the ability that Cashin possesses, and he is a constant presence next to his partner Curtis Nelson in the Rams' backline. He is a fan's favourite and there would be uproar if he is sold in the next transfer window.

He signed a new long-term contract in February, with his deal now lasting until the end of the 2026/27 season.

While this may put off some potential suitors, his capabilities as a centre-back will definitely see some attention brought to him, much to the frustration of Warne, who must not sell Cashin.

Conor Washington stays at Derby until the end of his contract

Similar to Barkhuizen, Conor Washington has been somewhat seen as an after-thought in the Championship this season, and he must find a new club in the upcoming January window.

His move to Derby has not quite panned out the way he would have hoped, and it can be said that he has been extremely underwhelming since joining the club before the 2023/24 campaign.

A deadly striker in his heyday in League One, the switch to Pride Park has been a difficult one, with injuries and selection difficulties seeing him slip down the pecking order - even past Dajaune Brown, who is only 19.

The arrival of Jerry Yates on loan has further seen him struggle, as the Northern Ireland international has been forced to watch on from the bench or the stands throughout this season and he himself will be hoping for more game-time.

This will have to come elsewhere, and Derby can ill-afford to pay out his wages for the next few months if he is not going to play for the senior team. Washington would be gutted if he cannot find a move away this winter, as this lack of minutes is only damaging his career.