Derby County sent Ebou Adams warning after £1.2m Sunderland transfer bid | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County fan pundit his given his verdict on the potential signing of Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis and the future of Ebou Adams.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

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

Derby looked in serious danger of making an immediate return to League One when Eustace made a shock move to Pride Park from play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers in February, but he inspired a significant upturn in form to keep the club in the Championship.

As Eustace looks to keep his side clear of any relegation danger in the upcoming campaign, it has been a busy summer of transfer activity for the Rams, with seven new signings arriving at Pride Park so far, and there could be more to come.

After re-signing David Ozoh on loan from Crystal Palace this week, it appears further midfield reinforcements are now the priority for Eustace, and after being linked with Everton's Harrison Armstrong and Liverpool's James McConnell, the Daily Record claim that Derby have had a £1.2 million bid rejected for Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis.

Triantis has featured just five times for the Black Cats since his £300,000 move from Central Coast Mariners in the summer of 2023, but he enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Scottish Premiership side Hibernian last season, with the 22-year-old scoring three goals and providing six assists in 36 appearances to help David Gray's side to a third-placed finish.

As the Rams set their sights on Triantis, some have questioned what their decision to make an offer for the Australian means for the future of captain Ebou Adams, who is believed to be on the radar of a host of Championship clubs, including one that has recently been relegated from the Premier League.

Derby County sent Ebou Adams warning following Nectarios Triantis bid

When asked for his thoughts on the potential signing of Triantis, FLW's Derby County fan pundit Shaun Woodward claimed that the midfielder would be a good addition for the Rams, but he warned that he should not be seen as a replacement for Adams, who he believes should not be sold under any circumstances this summer.

"I didn't see this one coming, and if I'm honest, it is a bit surprising," Shaun told FLW.

"The only thing I can think of is that we want to get a player in who is our player.

"At the moment, we've brought David Ozoh back on loan, and we're looking at Harrison Armstrong as well, who is another one who would be on loan.

"Even if we can actually get a player into that holding role that is our own, I can't see us selling Ebou Adams.

"I just can't see why we would do that.

"He's the heartbeat of the team, he makes us tick, and he literally is Mr Derby County right now.

"I just wouldn't see the sense in selling him right now and replacing him with someone who we don't know can match up to what he's done.

"If you're going to play a 4-2-3-1, you could potentially have Adams alongside Nectarios Triantis, and that would make a solid platform and maybe allow you to play Ozoh further forward.

"I just think there's no harm in having more competition in there, so if anything happened to Adams, you've got this lad who can step in or play alongside him.

"I don't see us selling Adams just because we've put a bid in for Triantis.

"I think we could potentially play them both together, and it's good competition in case anyone gets injured or suspended.

"For me, it would be a great signing, but I just hope it doesn't mean Adams is going because that would make no sense at all."

Derby County should continue Nectarios Triantis pursuit for two clear reasons

It is difficult to disagree with Shaun that Derby should do everything possible to keep hold of Adams this summer, but Eustace is still in need of more depth in midfield, and Triantis could be a shrewd signing for a relatively affordable fee.

Triantis enjoyed an outstanding campaign on loan at Hibernian last season, which is underlined by the fact he won the club's Young Player of the Year award, and, at only 22 years of age, he has plenty of room for further improvement, while he would also be a much-needed younger option to help lower the age of the Rams' squad.

If Derby were able to agree a deal with Sunderland for Triantis, he would be a permanent addition, which is important given that they have been a little reliant on loans to bolster their midfield in recent years, and not only could he potentially become a fixture in the team for years to come, but the club may also be able to make a sizeable profit on him in the future.