Exclusive: Don Goodman drops "concerned" Derby County claim after Craig Forsyth news | OneFootball

EFL pundit Don Goodman has discussed Derby County's transfer strategy, amid Craig Forsyth signing a new two-year contract with the Rams.

Having avoided relegation on the final day of last season under the management of John Eustace, Derby County are seeking to rebuild this summer after what was quite a lengthy list of players that won’t be retained by the club last month.

One player that has been kept on at Pride Park, though, is versatile 36-year-old defender Craig Forsyth, who has signed a new two-year contract with the club.

Forsyth joined the Rams on an initial short-term loan deal from Watford back in March 2013, before moving to Derbyshire on a permanent basis that summer.

The former Scotland international has gone on to make 382 appearances for the club over the last 13 years, including 42 appearances last season across all competitions.

EFL pundit Don Goodman believes Forsyth has earned himself a contract extension and praised his service to Derby, but has expressed concerns about the business they are doing.

Goodman believes Forsyth has earned his contract

Forsyth wasn’t necessarily a guaranteed starter for every game last season, but, at the age of 36, he still contributed enough for former Derby teammate Eustace and the club’s hierarchy to extend his deal by a further couple of years.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman believes that is a fair and just choice by the club, but he has worries over the profile of player that Derby are being linked with.

They recently wrapped up the signing of 29-year-old striker Carlton Morris from Luton Town, and have also been linked with moves for 34-year-old centre-back Danny Batth and 33-year-old attacker Andreas Weimann, both players that worked with Eustace at Blackburn Rovers.

Goodman said: “The big surprise is that it is a two-year deal and not a one-year deal, given that he is 36 years’ old and half-way through next season will be 37-year-old.

“He had a good season. Three goals and four assists from just 26 starts is pretty good, it has to be said.

“I am getting slightly concerned because I keep seeing Derby County getting linked with players that are 33, 34 years old and obviously I thought they were going away from that experienced model and trying to get a bit more younger and a bit more dynamic.

“Having said that, back to Craig Forsyth, he has been a brilliant servant, even if it is a little bit sentimental, I think he earned at least a contract extension.”

Derby’s planned rebuild this summer

Derby finished the 2024/25 campaign very well, albeit still required a goalless draw with Stoke City on the final day to ensure they avoided finishing in the bottom three.

There is set to be a fair bit of upheaval at Pride Park ahead of next season with several players having already departed at the end of their respective contracts, such as Rohan Luthra, Sonny Bradley, Erik Pieters, Tyrese Fornah, Jeff Hendrick, Tom Barkhuizen, Conor Washington and Kemar Roofe among others, whilst Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has left to join Paul Warne at Milton Keynes Dons in League Two.

Ever since the takeover of the club by David Clowes in the summer of 2022, Derby have prioritised signing experience and pedigree, and that doesn’t necessarily appear to be changing this summer.

Whilst a concern for some, the fact is that the volatility of the Championship makes it completely reasonable that they could challenge towards the top six again next season, especially under a full season of Eustace.