£6m Derby County deal can encourage Crystal Palace transfer | OneFootball

Derby County's ambition to sign Bobby Clark permanently could spell good news for a future David Ozoh agreement

Derby County's main worries ahead of next season were that they'd have to replace the majority of their top performers from the 2025/26 campaign, who were on loan at Pride Park.

Ben Brereton Diaz, David Ozoh and Bobby Clark were all big contributors throughout the whole campaign, while Sammie Szmodics and Jaydon Banel did their bit in the second half of the season after arriving in January.

There was almost an expectation that, after good seasons at Pride Park, they'd all be playing elsewhere in the 2026/27 campaign, but that's not to be the case with one man, especially.

Indeed, the Rams are close to securing Clark on a permanent deal from RB Salzburg for a fee in the region of £6 million, a figure which would place the 21-year-old third in the list of the most expensive signings made by the Pride Park-based outfit.

After a breakout campaign for the former Liverpool youth prospect, who cost Salzburg £10 million when they took him from Anfield in 2024, not many were expecting the division's Young Player of the Season nominee to stick around in the English second tier.

But, it's looking like Clark won't be a loan player that Derby fall in love with and never see play for them again, and Rams fans should be getting excited about the prospect of some more former loanees making their stints at the club permanent off the back of that.

Bobby Clark's imminent transfer could make a David Ozoh return to Derby County possible

Action images

While Clark's four goals and four assists in all competitions at Pride Park may not have warranted starting Premier League interest, the 21-year-old definitely would have been earmarked for some top-flight minutes in 2026/27, whether that be back in Austria or elsewhere.

Therefore, the fact that Derby have been able to bring him in permanently outlines a clear ambition that John Eustace's side are ready to go one better than their play-off near-miss last season.

The Rams are attracting players who could have the Premier League in their future, and perhaps Crystal Palace midfielder David Ozoh, who has spent the last two seasons at Pride Park on loan, could also follow suit by completing a permanent deal.

The Palace academy graduate is also coming off the back of a breakout year for the Rams. After making just 10 appearances in his first spell at Pride Park, the 21-year-old was able to prove his fitness this past season, making 33 league appearances and remaining injury-free in 2026.

Evidently, Ozoh has a good relationship with Derby and with John Eustace, and as seen with Clark's imminent transfer, the Rams have that pull now to promise young prospects the chance to make it into the Premier League with them.

The 21-year-old returned to Selhurst Park this summer, where it's speculated that he has one year remaining on his deal, albeit with a year's option on top of that.

With Palace playing in the Europa League next season, there could be a desire to keep him as part of the squad to provide depth, especially given his solid campaign in the Championship at Pride Park.

But, if Derby knows that they'll be giving him regular minutes, perhaps Ozoh could be keen to drop to the Championship permanently with the Rams, like Clark is set to do.

Derby County could have the financial backing to get a deal over the line for David Ozoh

Action Images

It's already been speculated what impact Turki Alalshikh may or may not already be having at Derby this summer, as murmurs continue to swirl about him potentially emerging as a new investor in the Championship side.

A potential £6 million move this early in the window, where there are still plenty of other positions in the Derby squad to address and invest in, could indicate that there's a lot more where that came from.

If Palace demand a decent seven-figure fee for Ozoh this summer, which would resemble some good pure profit, with him coming through the academy, Derby may be able to afford it alongside the other transfer dealings they will make.

And if it does emerge that the Rams will be paying good fees for multiple young stars with a Premier League ceiling, who could have been playing European football next season, you can't help but be excited as a Derby fan.

Last season's play-off push was a surprise at Pride Park given how quickly it came under Eustace's reign, and it's laid down the foundation for what many hope and expect will be a campaign of at least maintaining, or even bettering, their eighth-placed finish next season.

With the ambition shown this early in the window, and what may come from it between now and its closure, Derby could be a scary prospect next year.