One thing is worrying Don Goodman about Derby County - people need to listen to him | OneFootball

Don Goodman has highlighted one area he is worried about for Derby County in the future

Derby County are preparing for their first full season under John Eustace’s rule and have been active in the transfer market.

The Rams have signed striker Carlton Morris from Luton Town alongside acquiring Blackburn Rovers duo Andreas Weimann and Danny Batth.

Eustace has also tied down some of his existing players to new deals, with experienced defender Craig Forsyth signing a new two-year contract at Pride Park.

Although activity in the transfer market will have fans optimistic for the season ahead, others have taken a more cautious view on the situation.

When speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and ex-EFL striker, Don Goodman, revealed that he was somewhat confused by the profiles Derby have decided to recruit.

Don Goodman’s Derby County concern

"I think there are 10 or 11 30+-year-old outfielders," mentioned Goodman, and suggested the club might ideally want to introduce younger players.

“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 younger and a bit more dynamic.”

Derby have prioritised adding experience to their squad in the past couple of years and on the surface, it has worked, securing promotion to and then remaining in the Championship during that period.

However, Goodman’s comments do have some substance behind them, especially when considering how a modern second-tier club has to operate in the long-term.

John Eustace must not ignore youth when assembling Derby squad

It’s only natural for Derby’s boss to call upon players he knows have done the business for him in the past, with such quality increasingly hard to find in today’s market.

Given how Eustace ditched his play-off ambitions with Blackburn Rovers last term to rescue Derby County from the clutches of relegation, it’s imaginable that he will have somewhat of a free rein over the Rams’ transfer business this summer.

That said, the 45-year-old must still make investing in youth a priority when outlining his transfer targets this summer.

Clubs such as Brentford and Bournemouth have shown just how quickly they can elevate their positions within the footballing food chain when sticking to smart strategies when conducting business.

Signing young prospects, developing and then selling them on for a profit before reinvesting the profit back into the squad is a surefire way of organically improving the standard of any given time.

There are signs that the Rams are trying to do this, with news emerging that the club have made a bid in the region of $7m for 24-year-old Charlotte FC hotshot striker Patrick Agyemang.

Eustace and Co. must ensure that they opt for more deals in Agyemang’s ballpark to make sure Derby possess a healthy mix of young talent and experienced heads next term.