Derby County: Paul Warne's Joe Wildsmith decision looks to have paid off with ex-Arsenal player - View | OneFootball

Mat Ryan looks set to sign for Derby County so it seems as if Paul Warne's comments regarding Joe Wildsmith were correct.

Joe Wildsmith was a surprise inclusion on Derby County's retained list after contract talks broke down with last season's Golden Glove winner.

The 28-year-old was superb for County, keeping 20 clean sheets in 40 league appearances and conceding a minimal 31 goals across the whole of their League One promotion campaign.

For any normal manager, this would have been enough for them to offer that player a brand-new contract which meets their demands, but not for Paul Warne. The Derby boss is often adamant about wanting players who are committed to playing for his club. In a live radio interview with TalkSport in June, he made his thoughts on the Wildsmith situation clear.

"Joe's contract ran out. We spoke about a new contract last season and that broke down and so we just move on.

"I want to sign a better number one than the one I've got. I want to sign better midfielders than I released. That happens at the end of every season."

Clearly, Warne was left somewhat perturbed by Wildsmith's contract, but it appears that the Rams have found a resolution and their latest signing could prove a real upgrade.

Mat Ryan to replace Joe Wildsmith

With the transfer window entering week four, Derby have supposedly found their Wildsmith replacement for the upcoming season in veteran goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who is reported to be on the verge of signing for Warne's side, according to Voetbal Primeur.

The former Arsenal man has just been released by Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, with whom he kept a remarkable 25 clean sheets across 64 games.

A stalwart in their side, he helped them finish fourth in the Eredivisie last campaign and achieve European Football for the second season running. It was a surprise to see him leave the AFAS Stadion and County have done remarkably well in securing the signature of such a quality player.

Aged 32, he can play a significant role for the Rams over the coming years and will bring a breadth of experience, having played in some of Europe's top divisions during his career.

His most recent spell in England saw him become back-up goalkeeper to Bernd Leno at Arsenal, but prior to that, he was a mainstay for Brighton and Hove Albion over a three-year spell.

Ryan is a "better number one" than Wildsmith

Whilst Wildsmith may be more youthful than Ryan, the experience and goalkeeping qualities the Australian will bring to County are undeniably of a higher standard.

Having started his career at Central Coast Mariners, he moved to Europe in 2013-14, where he featured for teams like Club Brugge, Valencia and KRC Genk.

It was at Brighton where he had the best period of his career though, becoming their number one in the Premier League from 2017-18 to 2019-20. This Premier League quality will come in useful for the Rams next year, who will be aiming for a mid-table finish in their first season back in the Championship since 2021-22.

The ability Ryan has shown undeniably outweighs Wildsmith's, who for most of his second-tier career has had to deal with being a number two. Prior to Derby, the former Barnsley man's most fruitful campaign was a meagre 26 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday in 2017-18.

With Wildsmith set to sign for West Brom as a backup again, Warne's comments appear justified. The next 12 months will be crucial in determining whether not offering the Sheffield-born goalkeeper an improved contract was the right decision.