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This summer is vital for Derby County, and the path that the club will take in the next few years.
The Rams are still waiting for investment at Pride Park, but with a new Chief Financial Officer in DE24, work is going on behind the scenes in preparation for a huge season.
CEO Stephen Pearce outlined Derby’s transfer plans early, and the majority of the Championship outfit’s major deals will be conducted in the latter stages of the window.
However, while some Rams players may be axed by John Eustace this summer, EFL Analysis has picked out three more who have a point to prove in the East Midlands in the upcoming campaign.
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Three Derby County players who have a point to prove this season
Ben Osborn
Ben Osborn’s homecoming has not exactly gone to plan so far, and the 30-year-old has struggled with injury throughout his time in black-and-white.
The midfielder left the Rams over 20 years ago as a boyhood supporter, joining bitter rivals Nottingham Forest, and he made a name for himself at the City Ground. In 2019 he earned a move to Sheffield United, getting his first taste of Premier League football before joining Derby as a free agent 12 months ago.
He made 25 appearances in the Championship last season, picking up just one assist. However, Osborn has plenty of experience and he has proven throughout his career that he has the ability to become a key component in this team. Yet, he must stay fit if he is to force his way into the starting XI.
Corey Blackett-Taylor
After joining the Rams in January 2024 from Charlton Athletic, there were high hopes about Corey Blackett-Taylor. However, he has found it tough to stay fit over the course of the last 17 months and 2025/26 is perhaps his last chance at Pride Park.
On his day, the winger can be Derby’s biggest threat. But, more often than not, he has lacked that cutting edge on the left wing and he has scored just one goal and picked up one assist in 25 games.
Nevertheless, a full pre-season under Eustace will give the 27-year-old a great chance of proving a point to the head coach and following Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s departure to MK Dons, he is one of just two wingers at the club currently.
Ryan Nyambe
The right-back position at Derby is one that has been greatly debated over the last couple of years, with the East Midlands outfit having three players who can fill the position in Kane Wilson, Joe Ward and Ryan Nyambe.
The latter of those is perhaps the best defensively out of the trio, with the Namibia international yet to score in his career. Like Blackett-Taylor and Osborn, he has had issues with injuries throughout his time at Pride Park.
At 27, Nyambe is at a really good age for Eustace to work with and there is no doubt that he can still have a strong future at Derby. Yet, there is no denying that his fitness worries are becoming more prevalent and if these continue at the start of next season, the Rams may have to cut ties with the defender.