Will it be deal or no deal for the Rams stars who are out of contract?
A NUMBER of Derby County’s firstteam squad are out of contract at the end of the season.
They include Colin Kazim-richards, Curtis Davies, Martyn Waghorn and Andre Wisdom.
Those Derby players out on loan who have a few months left on their contracts include Scott Carson, Florian Jozefzoon and Scott Malone.
What does the future hold for those players?
COLIN KAZIM-RICHARDS
The 34-year-old striker joined the Rams as a free agent in October on a deal until the end of the season.
He made six appearances as a substitute before being handed a first start in the draw against Wycombe Wanderers at the end of November.
He has started all 14 League games since, scoring five goals, and has played a key role.
He has provided a much-needed focal point of the attack. His strength and know-how keeps defenders occupied.
Extending his stay is a real possibility.
SCOTT CARSON
The 35-year-old former England international goalkeeper is on loan with Manchester City for a second season, having spent 2019-20 with the Premier League club.
He has been providing experienced back-up but has yet to make a first-team appearance for City.
Carson joined Derby from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2015 and made 171 appearances for the Rams. He was voted player of the year in 2016-17 and might easily have won the award again the following season, only to be pipped by top scorer Matej Vydra.
For three seasons he showed terrific consistency and proved an excellent signing.
He will not get a new deal at Derby and City are keen to sign him, given what their manager Pep Guardiola said last month.
“He (Carson) is like a captain behind the scenes, like Fernandinho. He is not noticed in the papers or on the field because he is the third keeper but in the locker room he is like another captain,” said Guardiola.
“He is so important and, hopefully, he can stay longer with us in the next years.”
CURTIS DAVIES
The 35-year-old defender is recovering from surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in the goalless draw with Brentford in December. His season is over.
Derby have hinted at a new temporary role for Davies. Manager
Wayne Rooney told the club’s website: “The next step now is his recovery. We will help him in every way possible to do that and it will be great for him to be in and around the place.
“He is a leader for us, so to have him around the place and maybe popping into the coaches’ office and have a look at how we are working, will be great.
“I know he is doing his coaching badges, so we will be helping him in that way as well. It will be great for him.”
FLORIAN JOZEFZOON
The winger is on a season-long loan with Rotherham United, where he has made seven starts in 14 appearances.
The 30-year-old joined Derby from Brentford in the summer of 2018 but struggled to hold down a regular place in the team last season and was allowed out on loan in October.
He has scored three goals in 48 games for Derby. Will not be offered a new contract.
SCOTT MALONE
Malone was a regular starter for Derby in the first half of last season but lost his place in the team and did not make a League start in the second half of the campaign.
He slipped behind Craig Forsyth and Max Lowe, then Lee Buchanan, in the battle to take on the left-back role.
The 29-year-old joined Millwall on a season-long loan in the summer transfer window and he has played 26 games for the Lions, scoring four goals, including a cracker in
the 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.
Given the emergence of Buchanan alongside the experienced Forsyth, Malone will not get a new deal at Derby.
MARTYN WAGHORN
An injury in the summer set the forward back and he has made 18 appearances (11 starts) this season, scoring twice. Both goals came from excellent free kicks but it is more than three months since his last goal.
His record for Derby since signing from Ipswich Town in August 2018 is 27 goals in 109 games, a ratio of a goal every four matches for a player who has alternated between centreforward and a right-sided attacking role.
Wherever he is asked to play, the 31-year-old produces a fully-committed performance.
Offer of a new, possibly shorterterm deal is likely but would have to fall within the financial structure of the club.
ANDRE WISDOM
The 27-year-old defender enjoyed a successful loan spell with Derby earlier in his career and rejoined the club in the summer of 2017. He has made 92 appearances in his second spell, including 25 this season.
He has started 15 of the last 16 League games and is currently forming a partnership with Matt Clarke at centre-back.
Given his age, the fact he is in the team and has been praised by manager Wayne Rooney, it would be a surprise if he is not offered a new deal.