Derby County urged to target Everton transfer despite Liverpool links | OneFootball

FLW have spoken to fan pundit Shaun, who feels that Derby need youth in their central midfield after narrowly surviving relegation last time around.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Derby County have been warned that they need central midfielders, with one player's return being desperately hoped for.

Derby had a very close shave with relegation at the end of 2024-25, dependent upon results in other matches going their way on the final weekend of the season. All of this leaves head coach John Eustace facing a busy summer, with recruitment needed if the Rams are to improve again next time around.

Loan moves for Premier League starlets can make perfect sense under such circumstances. These are, after all, players who have turned the heads of the biggest clubs in the country and who need game time in order to refine their skills and experience levels.

They're a short-term fix, but considering the disadvantages that Championship clubs who don't receive parachute payments are already under, they represent an inexpensive way of bringing talented young players into your squad, and if they realise their potential, they can be a goldmine for those who've taken the gamble and given them a chance.

Derby are now being linked with the 20-year-old Liverpool midfielder James McConnell, who's made three Premier League appearances for the champions, but who hasn't yet been loaned elsewhere by them.

Derby should be "pulling out all the stops" to get Harrison Armstrong back

Football League World have been in contact with our fan pundit Shaun to discuss this further, and he has identified one key area in which they need improvement.

"I've been saying for a while that Derby are in need of some central midfielders, ideally someone who's going to support the frontmen and get us some goals from midfield because we really lacked that last season," he told us. "I think with (David) Ozoh going back to Crystal Palace injured early and then Armstrong going back to Everton we've lost some youth in there as well, so we're desperate to replace one of those with another young lad who can support (Ebou) Adams."

Shaun does have some reservations over whether he wants Derby to chase James McConnell.

"I think James McConnell is an exciting project; he's had rave reviews when he's played for Liverpool, but he hasn't played many games for someone who's 20 years old," he told us. "You'd have thought he'd have already been out on loan to get some experience, but he hasn't yet, so it's hard to judge how well he'd done in the hustle and bustle of the Championship because we haven't seen him play. But he is an exciting prospect and if Eustace thinks he's good enough for Derby, that's good enough for me."

But there is one player for whom Shaun believes Derby should be fighting tooth and nail to return to Pride Park: "If Harrison Armstrong is available, then we should be doing all we can to get him back," Shaun confirmed. "He absolutely flourished under Eustace, and considering that he was 18 years old, and he was in such a pressurised environment that every game was a must-win come the end of the season, he really rose to the occasion."

Shaun believes that Derby should be doing everything they can to get Armstrong to return to Pride Park for 2025-26: "He played well above his age of 18, and he put in some unbelievable performances for us that really did help to cement us in this league, so if he's available, I'd be pulling out all the stops to get him back because the Derby fans absolutely loved him. Another season in the Championship and he'd be ready for the Premier League, no doubt, so try and get him back at all costs."

James McConnell is talented but largely untested, while Harrison Armstrong shone for Derby last season

Despite not having been sent out on loan before, James McConnell has been unable to hold down a place in the Liverpool first team squad. He made his senior debut for them against Toulouse in the Champions League in October 2023 and his Premier League debut for them a couple of weeks later against Brentford.

But while he was able to run up 10 appearances for them in all competitions that season, he was somewhat less fortunate last time around, playing just five games, none of which came in the Premier League.

Harrison Armstrong came from the other side of the Merseyside divide, but he was sent out on loan to Derby for the second half of the 2024-25 by Everton and quickly became popular among Derby fans. No decision has yet been made concerning whether he will return to Pride Park again for next season.

He'll find a warm welcome waiting for him should he do so, and the same will likely go for James McConnell, should they manage to see off the opposition for his signature and persuade him to choose Pride Park for the next stage of his development.