Derby County duo will surely be fearing for Rams futures if Chelsea deal struck | OneFootball

Alfie Gilchrist is in talks with Derby County, which will make those in the right-back position at Pride Park look nervously over their shoulders

Derby County have been hard at work this summer bringing in players who improve the current side as they look to avoid relegation a little more comfortably in their second season back in the division.

The Rams have brought in players in almost every position ahead of this Saturday's opener against Stoke City, with loanee arrivals Bobby Clark and Dion Sanderson becoming arrivals nine and ten this summer.

Derby may be looking at securing signing number 11 soon, however, as the Rams have reportedly opened talks with Chelsea over a loan move for Alfie Gilchrist, according to Mike McGrath.

Once very highly rated at Stamford Bridge, Gilchrist's career stalled somewhat last season on loan at Sheffield United, and he will be eager to get things back on track at a different Championship club in 2025/26.

If Derby proves to be that club, then their current right-backs, namely Ryan Nyambe and Joe Ward, will be facing tough competition to keep their place in John Eustace's starting eleven.

Injury-plagued duo could feel negative effects of Alfie Gilchrist, Derby County links

Last season, Kane Wilson established himself as Derby's starting full-back, mainly due to the fact that his competition for the position was scarce, as both Nyambe and Ward's involvement was restricted due to injury.

Nyambe has had a tough run of things at Pride Park due to regular injuries. A thigh injury took him out of the final 11 games during his debut campaign in 2023/24, and then he managed just 17 Championship games last term due to two significant injuries - a knee issue between October and January before a hamstring injury saw him miss the final seven games.

Ward, like Nyambe, struggled with injury last season, but the former Peterborough United man wasn't in the first-team plans under Eustace's predecessor, Paul Warne, when he was fit, starting just two games in the Championship last season, not featuring at all under the former Blackburn boss.

You'd expect Wilson, when fit, to be ahead of both Ward and Nyambe in the pecking order anyway, so to bring in another right-sided full-back who can operate comfortably in a four or five-back system would most definitely spell the end of one, or both, of their tenures at the club.

Alfie Gilchrist would be a big upgrade to the Derby County backline

After losing out to Middlesbrough in their pursuit of Callum Brittain, Gilchrist resembles a very solid backup option to John Eustace's main right-back target.

The young full-back exploded onto the scene at Stamford Bridge, becoming a regular squad option under Mauricio Pochettino in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, even scoring in a 6-0 win over Everton.

Being loaned out to Sheffield United last summer resembled a move in which the 21-year-old could gain regular first-team experience in a side expected to challenge for promotion in the Championship, but after picking up an ankle injury in February, the Chelsea loanee played just two more times for Chris Wilder's side.

Gilchrist had started 26 of the opening 29 Championship games, but couldn't work his way back into the team, and was left out of the squad entirely in the Blades' play-off final defeat against Sunderland.

So, whilst Chelsea expected the youngster to come back after his time at Bramall Lane as someone ready to challenge in the Blues squad, instead, he's been touted for a loan once more, this time for a side who just survived relegation last season.

But this Derby side under Eustace has shown ambition to challenge in the upper mid-table this season, and a full campaign under the Rams boss will do Gilchrist the world of good, whilst also giving Derby the upgrade at right-back they've been looking for throughout the summer.