Derby County have been urged to purchase a striker in the January transfer window, despite signing Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson over the summer.
Derby had a busy summer following their long-awaited promotion from League One in second place, with manager Paul Warne adding 10 new players to his team.
The Rams appear to be stronger in every area of the pitch; Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has manned the sticks in style since joining from Swedish outfit Djurgarden, Liverpool loanee Nathaniel Phillips should prove to be an inspired acquisition at the heart of defence, while impressive trio Ebou Adams, Kenzo Goudmijn, and David Ozoh provide a fresh midfield dynamic, and the forward line has been bolstered as well.
Warne typically prefers his squad to be industrious and difficult to break down. Derby were exactly that in their last promotion campaign, and their determination appears to be strong thus far, with seven goals conceded in six games. They have now preserved three clean sheets in the Championship, all on home turf, in triumphs against Middlesbrough, Bristol City, and Cardiff City, indicating a good start to the new season.
A tremendous home advantage at Pride Park, as well as defensive solidity, were important in 2023/24 and have continued to be so this season, albeit there is some uncertainty about where a steady source of goals may arise.
Derby County and Paul Warne urged to sign a striker in the January transfer window
Derby recruited two experienced Championship strikers in Yates and Jackson, despite scoring a total of eleven goals in the second division for Swansea City and Ipswich Town previous season.
Yates has impressed in the early stages of his loan move from Swansea.com Stadium, despite failing to score, while Jackson has done so twice and should continue to be a threat with his physicality and direct running in behind, which is essential for Warne’s counter-attacking style.
However, Jackson has been deployed from the right side of the front three, leaving Yates to lead the line and Football League World’s resident Rams fan analyst Shaun Woodward with legitimate reservations about his team’s goal-scoring ability.
“I think we desperately need a striker in the January transfer window,” Shaun told Football League World.
“As wonderful as Jerry Yates has been, working hard and impressing us, he has yet to score a goal. He’s been unlucky, but we need a striker to score goals, and he doesn’t have much competition, so if he goes injured or anything occurs, it’s always good to have someone putting pressure on you for your spot.
“So that’s something that I think we will be desperately looking to get in the January transfer window.”
Derby County could receive a Dajaune Brown impact until January
If Yates’ dry spell in front of goal continues, Derby fans will undoubtedly put pressure on the club to give homegrown academy product Dajuane Brown a chance.
Brown, who was only 18 years old at the time, lit up Derby’s various age groups before joining National League club Gateshead on loan in January, where he scored nine goals in all competitions during the second half of the season.
Indeed, Warne claimed only last month that no fewer than eight clubs in League One and League Two had inquired about Brown’s availability, though he ultimately chose to keep the promising talent on his first-team roster.
It is debatable whether Brown is even ready for the rigors of the Championship just yet, but entrusting him may become the natural course of action if Yates does not start scoring soon – and Derby fans would undoubtedly be pleased to see one of their own at the forefront of the attack, particularly a player of his potential.
