No wonder clubs now linked with Rams’ rising star Knight
NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD HAS MADE BIG IMPRESSION
WHEN a 19-year-old starts 23 of 24 games and is one of the first names on the team sheet, he is going to attract attention.
Clubs will be fully aware of Derby County midfielder Jason Knight. If they are not, then you would have to ask questions of their scouting departments.
The January transfer window is open and there will be speculation surrounding Knight because he is affecting games in the Championship consistently at a young age.
He possesses all the raw attributes; a ferocious appetite for hard work, a fearless competitive nature, a keen willingness to learn and a terrific attitude.
There are parts of his game that need filing and honing, understandably, and that can happen over time and should improve with experience. But he has bags of potential.
If there was a player-of-half-theseason award at Derby, Knight would be a very strong contender, and possibly winner.
Reports claim that Premier League side Burnley have added the Republic of Ireland international to their ‘wish list’ and both Crystal Palace and West Ham United have ‘joined the race’ for the player.
We have been here before with products of Derby’s Academy, many times, so it is nothing new for fans.
Before Knight, it was Max Bird and Louie Sibley.
In March, it was reported that Derby were ‘struggling to keep’ Knight and Sibley as Premier League
clubs circled.
In April, it was reported Derby had ‘slapped’ a £5m price tag on Bird amid interest from Chelsea.
And only last week the Daily Mail told us ‘the vultures, including Liverpool and Manchester United, are circling’ for Kaide Gordon, the 16-year-old who became the Rams’ fourth-youngest player when he made his debut as a substitute in last Tuesday night’s win against Birmingham City.
So, speculation about Knight is not a surprise, it is predictable and should be taken as a compliment that the Rams continue to produce players.
The aim of academies is to develop players for the first team or to be sold on to help financially in shaping the first team or the club.