Derby County’s 2024/25 loan signings graded, John Eustace must seek a deal with Liverpool

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Derby County can look back at the 2024/25 campaign as a success after they maintained their Championship status despite being seven points from safety with 11 games to go.

Six wins in those final 11 matches saw the Rams move from off the bottom of the league table up to 19th, with a 0-0 draw at home to Stoke City on the final day of the season confirming their place in the Championship for August.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
16	PortsmouthPortsmouth	46	14	12	20	58	71	-13	54
17	Oxford UnitedOxford United	46	13	14	19	49	65	-16	53
18	Stoke CityStoke City	46	12	15	19	45	62	-17	51
19	DerbyDerby	46	13	11	22	48	56	-8	50
20	PrestonPreston	46	10	20	16	48	59	-11	50
21	Hull CityHull City	46	12	13	21	44	54	-10	49
22	LutonLuton	46	13	10	23	45	69	-24	49

Derby are already in the hunt for reinforcements, and with a few contract issues still to be sorted, the next few months will be a busy time for John Eustace but he will be keen to see the return of a couple of his loan stars in the summer.

The Rams saw six players join on loan over the course of the season, and EFL Analysis has graded each one of those deals as we near the opening of the transfer window.

David Ozoh (Crystal Palace) – D

It just was not to be for David Ozoh at Derby County, as the Crystal Palace midfielder struggled with injuries throughout the year.

The 20-year-old made an explosive start to his time with the Rams, but after just a month of Championship action he found himself on the sidelines with a calf injury and he struggled with his recovery as he suffered a setback.

He eventually returned in January, making five more appearances in black-and-white before his season was ended early against Millwall just a month into his comeback, although Eustace did decide to keep him at the club.

When fit, Ozoh was excellent but the difficulties he faced were what supporters will remember this loan spell for.

Harrison Armstrong (Everton) – A

If Ozoh’s loan was anti-climatic, then Harrison Armstrong’s was anything but as he made the switch to the East Midlands on deadline day in the January transfer window.

The final Warne signing, Derby benefitted greatly from the 18-year-old’s presence in their midfield as he fit in perfectly next to Ebou Adams and Liam Thompson as Eustace set up in a 5-3-2 formation.

Supporters want to see Armstrong return, and it is clear to see why as he brought a level of calm and maturity to the team that was way beyond his years. He will be at the top of the Rams’ list in the transfer window, although they will face competition for his signature.

Everton will make Derby wait for any deal involving the teenager, but he could be the difference between a season towards the bottom of the table and one towards the top.

Jerry Yates (Swansea City) – B-

Derby needed an experienced and Championship-ready striker following promotion to the division in April 2024, and they quickly moved to bring Jerry Yates in on loan from Swansea City.

He had scored 10 goals in the previous campaign for the Swans, and he matched that total for the Rams, while also pitching in with four assists. However, he should have had plenty of more strikes to his name, with some dreadful misses.

Nevertheless, without the 28-year-old’s pressing and work rate off the ball, Derby would have been relegated to League One.

He combined excellently with Marcus Harness in the final months of the season and maintained his fitness throughout the year when others could not to consistently provide an option up front.

Marcus Harness (Ipswich Town) – C+

It was a season of two halves for Harness as he departed Premier League side Ipswich Town for the Rams in the summer, with the winger struggling for form under Warne.

He was played out of position, often finding himself in midfield where he was more often than not ineffective before eventually playing just off Yates in a more advanced area of the pitch.

He enjoyed an excellent March, with his late winner against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park effectively handing Derby the points that kept them in the division. Yet despite this purple patch, he left a lot to be desired at times and the East Midlands outfit would be wrong to seek a return.

Nevertheless, had Harness operated at that level throughout the entirety of the year, then maybe a conversation about a permanent move would have been in order in the summer.

Nat Phillips (Liverpool) – A

The star of the show out of the loanees over the course of 2024/25, the signing of Nat Phillips perhaps went under the radar at the start of the campaign but following Eiran Cashin’s sale to Brighton & Hove Albion, he became an incredibly important cog in the team.

Derby supporters all want to see Phillips return as a permanent member of the squad in the transfer window, and with his future at Liverpool seemingly conclusive, he could be a good pick up for Eustace.

However, there will be questions over his wage and he may have to take a major pay cut to join the Rams, but alongside Matt Clarke and Sondre Langas, Derby have the perfect defence waiting for them to grab with both hands.

Phillips grew into the campaign, and he proved to be incredibly dependable as he scored a vital goal against Hull City in gameweek 45 that saw his team run out 1-0 winners at the MKM Stadium.

Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – F

The addition of Tawanda Chirewa in the final days of the summer transfer window was a surprising one, with the Wolves attacking midfielder having very limited experience in senior football.

It was a move that never paid off as the 21-year-old was often found out of the matchday squad as he also faced injury issues, and when he did make his way onto the pitch, he flattered to deceive and ultimately his loan was cut short.

He ended the campaign with Huddersfield Town in League One, and while he tasted a little bit more success with the Terriers, it was clear that it was the wrong move for all parties to start with.