Derby County in transfer talks to sign Man City striker | OneFootball

Derby County are advancing in talks to sign a striker from Man City this summer, with John Eustace set to make his second summer signing...

Derby County are eyeing further additions to bolster John Eustace's ranks this summer, with the Rams turning to Premier League side Man City for their next addition.

After finishing eighth in their second season in the Championship after promotion, and in John Eustace's first full season in charge, there is a foundation to build on at Pride Park.

Derby County have already re-signed Bobby Clark permanently but there are so many more signings to make, with Andi Weimann, Danny Batth, Jake Rooney, Ben Osborn, and Callum Elder all released after their contracts expired.

It's fair to say Eustace has Derby moving in the right direction, but this summer's recruitment will be crucial if they are to ensure a play-off place in a Championship landscape full of huge and ambitious teams.

Derby County eye Divin Mubama after Stoke City loan

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The Rams need a balanced approach by adding younger players with resale value alongside experienced heads capable of raising the standards for Eustace immediately. Premier League loan signings should also form part of the strategy, with high-quality youngsters often proving the difference at Championship level.

If Derby can strike that balance, Eustace will have a squad capable of building on last season's progress. One player who will be on the radar of plenty of second tier side's is Man City striker Divin Mubama.

It was seen as a coup when Man City poached the 21-year-old from West Ham United back in 2024, with Mubama then heading out on loan to Stoke City in 2025/26. Having scored five in seven games for the England U-21 team, there was real excitement when he joined Stoke.

However, he scored just five in 28 appearances last season for the club. That has not deterred others from having Championship interest, though. Derby are now pushing to bring him in on loan for the season.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke claims Derby are in advanced talks to sign the Manchester City striker on loan. Eustace needs more forward options due to Patrick Agyemang's Achilles injury keeping him out for at least the first half of the season.

And the fact that Man City under-21's manager Ben Wilkinson is heading to Pride Park to join Eustace's coaching staff could be a big driving factor in a deal for Mubama - could more youngsters from the Etihad Stadium head to County because of that?

Divin Mubama could be an exciting prospect for Derby County

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In the eyes of many, Mubama remains one of English football's most exciting young forwards, despite a difficult first loan spell at Stoke. The former West Ham academy striker possesses the physical attributes and movement to develop into a top-level centre-forward one day.

That said, at this moment in time, his experience underlines the fact that player development is rarely linear. His goalscoring instintcs looked there at academy level and at international level. One challenging loan should not define his trajectory but that side of his game needs to sharpen up if he is to support the likes of Carlton Morris and Rhian Brewster.

Another Championship move now feels like the ideal next step, allowing him to apply the lessons learned while continuing to face high-quality opposition. Derby should be an excellent destination, with Eustace having shown he can improve young players in a competitive environment at numerous second tier clubs so far.

Regular minutes in a side looking to push on could help Mubama rediscover his confidence and begin fulfilling his enormous potential. If he can do that and Agyemang can return to fitness, Derby could end up with a frightening forward line.