DONE DEAL: Derby County signs £750k-a-week Thierry Small amidst Charlton Athletic contract offer – Personal terms agreed

DONE DEAL: Derby County signs £750k-a-week Thierry Small amidst Charlton Athletic contract offer – Personal terms agreed

Following promotion from League One, Derby County have turned their attention towards flexing their Championship muscles for the first time and potentially signing a future star.

Derby transfer news

The Rams sealed automatic promotion after a rollercoaster season in which a place in England’s second tier wasn’t always a guarantee. Promoted nonetheless, Paul Warne’s task is to now keep Derby in the Championship to avoid returning directly back to square one in the next campaign. Preparing to avoid the drop, those at Pride Park have reportedly already turned their focus towards the summer transfer window.

Having said that, the Rams are considering making a play to steal a future gem for Warne. Wayne Veysey of Football Insider claims that Derby is considering a move to capture Thierry Small from Charlton Athletic. If Small departs, the one-year option in his contract will presumably be activated, allowing Derby to demand a fee.

The 19-year-old left-back, who previously played for Everton, has a decision to make though, as Charlton have also tabled an improved three-year deal for him to sign.

For a guy who hasn’t even reached the height of his abilities, the temptation to go from League One to the Championship will undoubtedly be strong. It’s unclear how much Derby would have to spend to get Small, though, since Transfermarkt currently values him at roughly £750,000. Small’s price tag would only go up if he signs a new contract at Charlton.

Given that Small’s presence would give Louie Sibley plenty of competition at left wing-back or enable the 22-year-old to return to his natural midfield post in the Championship next season, it would be a deal worth pursuing for the appropriate price.

“Great” Small would unleash Sibley

Whilst Small has had his struggles in the early stages of his career, particularly at Everton and Southampton, he has since found his feet at Charlton to earn the interest of Derby. And now he could step up even more by completing a move to Pride Park and edging ever closer to a Premier League return. It’s a move that would also crucially unleash Sibley.

Left playing in the wing-back role this season, Sibley deserves the chance to break into the Rams’ midfield and become a key part of Warne’s side in his favoured position, and Small’s arrival would allow for that transition.

It won’t be a simple move, however, given Charlton’s reported offer on the table and the fact that manager Nathan Jones seems to be a fan after telling the Daily Echo: “What we won’t do is get rid of good players. We’ll protect good players – if Thierry falls into that then Thierry will be looked after.

“I’ve been really pleased (with his impact so far). Obviously, I know Thierry from Southampton. He had a bit of a tough time – a big-money move as a teenager when he came to Southampton.

“Sometimes you have a little bit of a plateau before you can go again. We hope that is it for Thierry. He is a great kid – a fantastic athlete. He needs some polishing around the edges – but so do most teenagers.”

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