Winner in £3.5m Derby County and Middlesbrough battle for Callum Brittain becomes clear

Add as preferred source on Google

Middlesbrough and Derby County have been battling it out for Blackburn Rovers full-back Callum Brittain in recent weeks.

EFL Analysis revealed earlier in July that the Rams had agreed a deal for the right-back, as John Eustace looked for another Rovers reunion at Pride Park.

The East Midlands outfit have already poached Andreas Weimann and Danny Batth this summer, while Owen Beck has joined Derby on loan until the end of the season after spending 2024/25 at Ewood Park.

However, after a difficult summer so far for Middlesbrough, they appear to have edged out one of their Championship rivals just a week before the new season kicks off.

• READ MORE – Derby County have £1.2m bid rejected for ‘excellent’ Sunderland midfielder

Middlesbrough edge towards deal with Blackburn Rovers for Callum Brittain

While the Rams have shown an interest in the 27-year-old, it looks as though Boro are set to sign Brittain from Blackburn.

According to Pete O’Rourke, the two clubs are coming close to agreeing a £3.5m deal for the former Barnsley defender and he would become the third signing of the summer for Middlesbrough.

It is clear to see that Rob Edwards is lacking options at full-back after Anfernee Dijksteel’s contract expired, while Luke Ayling is perhaps not up to the standard needed for the Championship.

This will be a huge boost to Middlesbrough and they will be keen to get Brittain in ahead of their first fixture of the season at home to Swansea City on Saturday 9 August.

• READ MORE – Neil Warnock rules out two teams in ‘wide-open’ Championship promotion race in 2025/26

Derby County do not need another right-back

Ipswich Town have agreed a fee for Hayden Hackney, and this may have handed Boro a decent transfer pot for the rest of the summer.

Meanwhile, Derby do have plenty of cover at right-back, and spending £3.5m on another player in that position when other areas of the pitch need work would not have been smart business.

Brittain has the opportunity to flourish at Middlesbrough, a club heading into the unknown in 2025/26 after missing out on the play-offs last season.

Edwards still has a huge task on his hands to keep Boro in a position to challenge for the top six in the new campaign, but if this deal does go through, it’d be a fantastic start to August.