2 players who could follow Craig Dawson to Derby County - Aston Villa star features | OneFootball

Derby County could be set for a busy summer, with Craig Dawson among the players linked with a move to Pride Park.

John Eustace will be hoping for a busy summer at Derby County as he prepares to make his mark on the team ahead of his first full season in charge.

The Rams boss shocked many when he made the surprising decision to swap promotion-chasing Blackburn for a relegation battle with Derby.

However, despite plenty of twists and turns, Eustace improved the East Midlands outfit, and they ultimately secured their safety.

3 Derby County's summer transfer plans

Now, all attention turns to next season, and Eustace will want to reshape the group as he looks to build a squad that can challenge further up the table.

The Rams have already been linked with a host of players, and it has been suggested that they will rival Wrexham for the signature of Craig Dawson.

The Wolves man is out of contract at Molineux in the coming weeks, and he won’t be offered a new deal, so the centre-back is on the lookout for his next club.

Given his experience, Dawson would be a decent short-term addition, and here we look at TWO other players who could follow the 35-year-old to Pride Park…

2 Andi Weimann

FLW exclusively revealed that Derby are keen on a deal to bring back the Blackburn man, and it’s a move that makes sense.

The priority for Eustace this summer has to be attacking reinforcements, as the Rams lack that quality in the final third.

The prospect of adding Weimann isn’t one that will particularly excite supporters due to his age, and he didn't always convince in his previous spell, but the 33-year-old has shown he can chip in with goals at this level.

Of course, and most importantly, he is a player that Eustace knows well from his time at Ewood Park, and he clearly feels Weimann could add something to the group on the pitch, and also in the dressing room with his professionalism and know-how.

His ability to play in different attacking positions is another positive, and whilst Weimann may not always be the first name in the XI, he could be a valuable option for the squad.

1 Louie Barry

As outlined above, Derby will be in the market for several attackers, and Barry would be the standout signing if they could get it over the line.

The Aston Villa youngster has spent the past few years out on loan, which included a hugely productive spell at Stockport in League One last season. Barry scored 15 goals from just 23 League One appearances, which prompted interest from clubs across the Championship, including Derby themselves.

A switch to Hull in January eventually followed, but injury restricted Barry to just four appearances, so Villa’s plan is to send the forward back to the Championship so he can test himself in the second tier.

There will be a host of clubs keen on the 21-year-old, but Derby will be an attractive option because Eustace has shown he can develop talent, and he will get regular game time at Pride Park.