Why Derby County fans may be divided over £5m transfer pursuit | OneFootball

Derby County supporters may feel conflicted about the potential £5 million signing of Charlotte striker Patrick Agyemang.

Derby County are preparing for another season in the Championship after securing survival under John Eustace.

It looked as though Derby were set to make an immediate return to League One after a nightmare run of seven consecutive defeats at the end of former manager Paul Warne's tenure, but Eustace managed to save the club from the drop after making a shock move from play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers in February, with his side eventually finishing in 19th place.

The Rams have completed one new signing this summer, with striker Carlton Morris arriving from Luton Town, while a host of senior players have left the club, including Sonny Bradley, Jeff Hendrick, Tom Barkhuizen, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Conor Washington.

Morris may be the only incoming at Pride Park during the transfer window so far, but he will certainly not be Derby's last new addition, with the club believed to be closing in on a number of signings, including Charlotte striker Patrick Agyemang.

Derby County rivalling Ipswich Town for Charlotte striker Patrick Agyemang

Eustace is close to securing a reunion with two of his former Blackburn Rovers players in the form of defender Danny Batth and forward Andreas Weimann, with the pair said to have been at Derby's training ground last week to finalise their moves.

As FLW exclusively revealed last month, Eustace is keen to bring another of his Ewood Park favourites - midfielder Lewis Travis - to Pride Park this summer, while the Rams have also been linked with Liverpool defender Owen Beck, who spent last season on loan at Blackburn.

However, although Eustace is clearly looking to sign some of those he knows and trusts, it seems Derby are also prepared to make a few riskier moves in the transfer market, and journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed last week that the club were nearing a deal for Charlotte striker Agyemang.

According to Romano, Agyemang has already given the "green light" to a switch to Pride Park, with talks now underway between the two clubs, but Charlotte are also believed to be in negotiations with other sides about the 24-year-old, and the Rams reportedly face competition for his signature from Championship rivals Ipswich Town.

While there are conflicting reports about how advanced the deal is, it is clear that the Rams hold a strong interest in Agyemang, and BBC Derby reporter Dominic Dietrich revealed that the club have made a bid in the region of $7 million (£5.1 million) for the striker.

Derby County supporters may be split on potential £5 million Patrick Agyemang deal

Owner David Clowes has not been afraid to spend since Derby's return to the Championship, and he splashed out a reported fee of around £4 million for defender Sondre Langas in January, but the size of the bid for Agyemang has divided opinion among supporters.

Agyemang is a highly-rated talent who has scored eight goals and provided two assists in 18 appearances for Charlotte this season, while he has also netted five times in just nine games for the senior United States national team, so he could prove to be an incredibly exciting signing for the Rams.

The fact that Ipswich, who will be one of the title favourites in the Championship next season, are also interested in Agyemang should reassure any Derby supporters who have doubts about the deal, and with many of their existing players over the age of 30, he would be a much-needed younger option to help bring a different dynamic to Eustace's squad.

However, while the likes of Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey made their mark in English football after arriving from the MLS, it is fair to say that many players have struggled with the transition, and with question marks over how the standard of Agyemang's current league compares to the second tier, the Rams would be taking a big gamble by paying such a substantial fee for him.

If Derby were to complete the signing of Agyemang, it is likely that the deal would take up a significant portion of their summer transfer budget, and while most supporters will agree that more firepower is needed, some will argue that the money could be better used on two or three alternative signings, rather than spending £5 million on just one player.

The Rams would certainly send a statement of intent to the rest of the Championship if they are able to win the race for Agyemang, but with significant risks attached to the move, he may have work to do to convince some of the Pride Park doubters.