Not much room for manoeuvre in window, says Frank
FRANK Lampard says Derby County’s business in the January transfer window is likely to be “small, in terms of numbers”.
Lampard has guided Derby to fourth in the Championship and he is pleased with his squad.
But the manager has not ruled out adding new signings.
“If it’s going to be something in January, it will be small, in terms of numbers. We haven’t got loads to play with but it’s not a problem for me. I’m pleased with what I’ve got,” Lampard said when asked about his plans in January.
“It’s just something we’ll have to look at if the squad is a bit unbalanced in certain areas and we’ve had a few big injuries that might make it that way.”
So will there be loan or permanent signings when the window opens?
“Possibly. It’s a conversation for me to have with the board, because we don’t have the funds of other teams in the Championship. That’s obvious,” Lampard added.
“We didn’t have them in the summer. We had to sell Matej Vydra to bring in players and to change the age of the squad.
“We had the oldest squad in all the leagues last year and that was a fact I felt had to be addressed.
“We did that.”
The “big” injuries Lampard refers to are skipper Curtis Davies and leftback Craig Forsyth.
Davies has had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon and could miss the rest of the season. Forsyth is out for the season. The Scottish international suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in his left knee in the home defeat by Aston Villa last month.
However, summer signing George Evans is hoping his injury problems are behind him and that he can make up for lost time.
Evans has been restricted to only two appearances following his move from Reading.
The 23-year-old midfielder made his debut in the Carabao Cup tie at Oldham in August and then his League debut against Ipswich Town a week later.
A knee problem forced him off in the first half of the Ipswich game and he has not been seen in the first team since.
He recovered from the knee injury only to be troubled by a hip problem.
Evans played 68 minutes on his comeback with the Under-23s in a 5-0 victory over Arsenal last month and then 80 minutes in last Friday’s Premier League 2 Division One fixture against Manchester City.
“I am just delighted to be back on the pitch, delighted to get some more minutes,” Evans told RamsTV.
“I am feeling physically much better each game I play.
“Unfortunately, with the injuries I have been out for quite a while and so I do need to keep building my fitness up.
“I want to be fit, 100% and raring to go. All these minutes add up and it is vital for me at the moment.
“I spoke to the gaffer and he said ‘look, just get these things right’ because obviously he wants me 100% fit.
“It doesn’t help anyone if I start forcing myself back too soon and maybe when I came back I was trying to do a bit extra and do a bit of catch-up and just got a little tear in my quad. Luckily, that is all over now.
“Hopefully, I can get some catchup on some lost time with the first team. I will be delighted to get back out there soon. I just need to keep working hard and get back in the team.”
Evans started in a midfield three in both of his first-team appearances so far. He lined up alongside Bradley Johnson and Mason Mount at Oldham and with Craig Bryson and Mount against Ipswich.