Derby County warned against joining Blackburn Rovers and QPR in striker transfer race | OneFootball

Football League World's resident Derby County fan pundit discussed a potential return to Pride Park for Jerry Yates

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...

Jerry Yates' future remains very much in the air following the completion of a reasonably-successful loan spell with Derby County across the 2024/25 Championship campaign.

The Swansea City striker headed up to Pride Park on loan following a single season in South Wales, and played his role in the Rams' dramatic eventual survival under John Eustace.

Yates started all but six of Derby's Championship outings and was the only real goal threat in the ranks, returning ten league strikes overall.

He was a big reason why Derby managed to stay in the Championship by only one point, finding the back of the net in late-season affairs against Preston North End, Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion.

Other clubs have been alerted to Yates' resurgence at Derby after a difficult 2023/24 campaign with Swansea, and the striker is reportedly of interest to Blackburn Rovers, Hull City and QPR alongside two unnamed Major League Soccer clubs.

Derby County warned against joining Blackburn Rovers, QPR in race for Swansea City's Jerry Yates

FLW asked our resident Rams fan pundit, Shaun Woodward, whether he would be bothered if Derby did not enter the race to land Yates' services.

Shaun acknowledges that Yates tried his best during his time in the East Midlands, but in his view, there are better available options than the 28-year-old as Derby look to bolster their frontline heading into the 2025/26 season.

"I do think there's better out there than Jerry Yates," Shaun told FLW.

"He has given his all for the club this season, he works hard and he has led the line well considering he's not a big, physical centre-forward that can cope with being on his own up there.

"He needs a partner and I think he has got on with it and has done his best.

"But he has limitations and, as we've seen this season, he misses so many guilt-edged chances. He's scored some great goals but he has also missed some real sitters, and I'm not just blaming him because it's a team game.

"He might miss them but we don't create much either, so it puts more pressure on the centre-forward and he hasn't had much support because all of our other strikers have been injured.

"I'm not blaming him, but he has missed some unbelievably big chances this season, so I do think there are better players out there to get.

"I wouldn't be too disappointed if we don't get him."

Jerry Yates' estimated Swansea City wage

According to Capology, a site which provides estimated information on player salaries, Yates is earning a weekly wage of £12,500 back in SA1.

It's not clear just how much of that Derby were paying in order to have Yates on loan, but it's not the sort of salary which could see them priced out of a potential move.

If Yates is willing to remain on a similar contract, it's little wonder why a number of Championship clubs are interested in a deal, although Shaun's reservations are also perfectly valid and supporters will likely want to see a more ambitious arrival in the striking department.