Pride Park a good option for players to come on loan

Shares his views on Derby County

DERBY County can be trusted with loan players.

They have a good strike rate for taking players on loan from Premier League clubs and developing them into better footballers.

Matt Clarke was superb in the last couple of seasons, while Harry Wilson, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori all blossomed into fine footballers during their stints at Pride Park.

Rams boss Wayne Rooney used his contacts at Manchester United to bring in Teden Mengi last season and he was impressed with the defender, whose time in DE24 was unfortunately cut short because of injury.

Mengi improved quickly in his first taste of senior football in a difficult environment and Rooney spoke in glowing terms about the 19 yearold, who has been considered as a potential option for new United boss Ralf Rangnick.

“He has been fantastic for us and we’ve seen him grow with each game,” Rooney said when Mengi returned to Old Trafford in April.

“I feel he has improved a lot and he has shown he can play at this level.”

The shackles finally look like they are about to come off in terms of transfer restrictions that have felt never-ending.

With a takeover, hopefully, on the horizon and a settlement with regards to historical financial breaches reached by the EFL, the Rams are looking to the January transfer window and the summer.

Relegation to League One looks all but certain and that is where a couple of key loan deals could really help Derby in their first season in the third tier for almost 40 years.

United have a plethora of young talent in their youth ranks that Rooney could borrow and with restrictions on how many players the Rams can register, hopefully, eased.

At present, they cannot pay transfer fees and do not even have any players in on loan and Rooney can pull some strings to tempt players to Derby for a chance to either strut their stuff in a decent Championship side for the remainder of the campaign or a stable League One campaign next season.

Mengi is a player who may well be targeted again, given his profile. The Rams’ ageing defence is in need of some young blood.

Meanwhile, wingers Anthony Elanga and Shola Shoretire would surely relish playing under Rooney and are two exciting prospects who would add quality to the Rams’ ranks.

The Manchester Evening News reported earlier this season that United Under-19s manager Neil Wood was set to have conversations about potential loan moves away from Old Trafford for some of his loan youngsters.

Let’s hope Rooney’s Rams are considered as they, hopefully, enter

a new era.