Derby County sent clear message on Jacob Widell Zetterstrom exit after £15m reveal | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County Fan Pundit has told the club to not sell Jacob Widell Zetterstrom after his price tag was revealed on Thursday.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has had a terrific season for Derby County, and in his second year in England, he has quickly established himself as one of the Championship's most consistent goalkeepers.

The 27-year-old has been a vital cog for John Eustace throughout 2025/26, and while a bout of illness kept him out of the Rams' 2-1 away victory against Charlton Athletic on Tuesday, there is no questioning over whether he will be straight back into the team once he has fully recovered.

Zetterstrom made the switch to Pride Park in August 2024, joining the club for a reported £1.4m, and he is proven to be quite the bargain, having already kept six clean sheets in the league this season.

However, like any player performing at the top of their game in the Championship, Premier League interest has come knocking at the door of Derby regarding the Swedish international. Alan Nixon stated in the summer that Brentford were keen on the goalkeeper and lined up a £3.5m, while Nottingham Forest have also monitored the shot-stopper.

Nevertheless, it emerged on Thursday that a £15m price tag has been placed on Zetterstrom, and this has come as a relief to those at Pride Park.

Verdict made on Jacob Widell Zetterstrom's Derby County future after £15m price tag set

The Rams' first-choice 'keeper has been crucial over the course of the last year-and-a-half, and it will not come as a surprise to see the club set such a high asking fee on him.

Moreover, the East Midlands outfit are not keen on letting Zetterstrom go, and when asked whether Eustace may sanction an exit, Football League World's Derby Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, said: "No, I don't think we should sell.

"It’s similar to Patrick Agyemang. They're both quite new to the club and I think the long-term project is to bring in these players and sell them on at some point, but I think it's too early to be selling them because it leaves us in a really difficult position.

"I think next season, then yes, we can revisit it and look again. So, to me, in the long term, I've got no problem with them moving on to a bigger club for a decent fee, but right now, it's far too soon in their development and our development as a club and what we're trying to do at the club by bringing these younger players through and making money on them."

Shaun continued: "It's something we haven't done for a while, and it's quite new for us. But other clubs have done it and have been successful. I think it's about time that we start to do that.

"But we've got to be strong, hold our ground and, as much as it might be tempting to kind of double our money or triple our money quite quickly on these players, I think we need to just almost just stand our ground and trust the process and keep them for a little bit longer for me."

Derby County must not sell Jacob Widell Zetterstrom this January

At 27, Zetterstrom is only going to get better and with the Rams chasing a play-off place, he has the opportunity to raise his stock in the coming weeks and months.

For Derby, selling their number one at this moment in time would be a disaster, with Josh Vickers struggling with injury. Veteran goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell was handed his debut against Charlton, while youngster Harley Price made the bench.

Eustace would have to find a replacement for potentially not just one, but two members in his goalkeeping department and with less than two weeks to go in the transfer window, there is perhaps not enough time to find the necessary recruits.