Rooney facing tricky juggling act in squad
WILL TAKE RAMS TO 23 LIMIT
THERE are nine free agents training with Derby County and the Rams have a firm interest in bringing Manchester United defender Teden Mengi back on loan.
However, transfer embargo restrictions limit Derby to 23 players of “professional standing”. They have 19, as things stand. A player of professional standing is a player who has played a game in the League, the EFL Cup or the FA Cup.
The Rams can still only sign free agents on one-year contracts or players on six-month loans, within a salary limit, because other restrictions of the transfer embargo remain in place.
Derby narrowly escaped relegation last season and need to bolster a threadbare squad.
They are currently taking a look at Phil Jagielka, Ravel Morrison, Sone Aluko, Sam Baldock, Richard Stearman, Ryan Allsop and Tom Carroll, while defenders Curtis Davies and Andre Wisdom, whose contracts expired at the end of June, are still training with the Rams.
The difficult juggling act facing manager Wayne Rooney is clear.
Who does he sign to fill the four places that will take the squad numbers to 23? Do all four come from the nine free agents? Will Rooney follow up his interest in Mengi? Does he have other targets in mind?
Fans have been offering their thoughts but it is almost an impossible choice.
Each choice of four – or even five, as reported – sparks a counter-argument and it will be fascinating to see how things pan out.
The squad does not contain a recognised available centre-back as things stand and it is widely accepted a squad needs four to cope with the demands of a 46-match Championship campaign.
Krystian Bielik can play there but the Polish international midfielder is recovering from a knee injury and will not be available until late in the year. Craig Forsyth, a left-back by trade, can fill in at the heart of the defence.
Of the free agents training, Davies, Wisdom – who can also play rightback – Jagielka and Stearman are central defenders, while Mengi could add younger legs. His full debut for Derby was at right-back.
Derby need to add at least two defenders, maybe three, but that would leave precious little wriggle room given the attacking department and creativity within the squad needs a boost. Derby finished as the lowest scorers in the Championship last season with a meagre 36 goals.
Forwards Aluko and Baldock, both formerly of Reading, are looking to impress and they started Sunday’s friendly against Manchester United, as did Morrison, a technically gifted attacking midfielder who is comfortable in possession.
At 28, Morrison has had 11 different clubs – either permanent or on loan – but he has played a little over 100 games at club level. Can he take the chance offered to him by Derby?
Carroll is another midfielder who can look after the ball and control the play.
Derby have two senior goalkeepers in David Marshall and Kelle Roos, so it appears highly unlikely they would add a third unless one of the current two leaves.
The free agents will be looking to catch the eye in training and in Derby’s upcoming friendlies against Salford City, Real Betis and Notts County.
They are in the shop window and other clubs could make a move, so the situation might become clearer in the next couple of weeks.
The number of available places in the squad could increase if Derby sold a player(s) or released a player(s). Loaning out a player(s) does not count against the number because they are still registered by Derby.
Things could also change should the remaining issues be sorted in the long-running saga between Derby and the EFL.
For now, the juggling act facing Rooney looks remarkably tricky.