Derby County transfer state of play as double deal chased and exits predicted
Fresh from delivering a new striker, Derby County's work in the January transfer window is far from over in what is set to be a fascinating two weeks before it finally closes.
Lars-Jorgen Salvesen's arrival from Viking FK has fulfilled Paul Warne's need for a striker, one who fits the profile of a mobile target man and will, he hopes, add something different to his attack. It may take him a while to get fully up to speed, given his last game was back in December when the Eliteserien campaign finished, but once match fit, he should bring both power and physicality to their forward line.
No player attempted more shots or registered shots on target in the Norwegian top flight as he finished the campaign with 12 goals, six of those being headers. That shines a light on what he will bring to the table compared with Jerry Yates who is not renowned for his aerial ability.
READ MORE: Paul Warne reveals Dajaune Brown transfer stance after Derby County deal
READ MORE: Derby County's Premier League record could finally be broken - here's how Southampton could do it
But now that box is ticked, Derby will not rest on their laurels as they look to add more firepower in the hope it will avoid a nervy end to the Championship season. Links to Leeds striker Joe Geldhardt, who joined Hull this week, were nonsense with a new winger now among the priorities after Salvesen's arrival. Louie Barry remains a target although almost every Championship club has expressed an interest in the Aston Villa winger.
That would be Derby's ideal choice and while there are a whole host of English suitors, Celtic are thought to be about to test Villa's resolve as they seek a left-sided attacker this month. Derby do have room to add a loan addition now that Tawanda Chirewa has returned to Wolves in a move that did not work out.
The player was informed that he would be heading back to Wolves on the same day that Derby were due to play Leyton Orient in the FA Cup until the game was called off due to a frozen pitch.
The reason behind his return was that while Warne liked the player and his attitude to learn, the injury he picked up against Sunderland which kept him sidelined for a couple of months, put him on the back foot.
In that time he was on the sidelines, Liam Thompson pushed ahead of him and in an honest conversation, Warne told Chirewa that he thought he needed a fresh challenge.
Derby will also look at adding to the centre of midfield even though David Ozoh's return looks to be imminent with the on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder set to make a welcome return to training at the start of next week. But in keeping with the Salvesen deal, Derby are seeking something different to what they already have in the building.
There is a feeling that Derby need more creative prowess in the middle of the pitch given they are blessed with plenty of grafters. But it is crafters that would be most welcome and a player capable of playing in the number 10 role is also under consideration.
There will be a need for exits, however, given Derby can only name a 25-man squad for the rest of the season. That process has started with Sonny Bradley's exit to Wycombe Wanderers on loan earlier this month. Fringe players such as Tom Barkhuizen, James Collins and Joe Ward are believed to be attracting interest from League One clubs, a division in which both players would certainly suit clubs in the top half of the table. With Barkhuizen and Collins in the last six months of their deals, it would not be a surprise to see one or both depart before the window shuts at the end of the month.
Conor Washington remains a player whose future will also come under the spotlight given he has yet to kick a ball this season and he is another who will be free to leave the club in the summer. Either way, while there are two weeks to go before the window shuts, there is a lot of work still to be done.
