Derby County should plot surprise Man Utd transfer raid – here’s why | OneFootball

Derby County should try to sign Manchester United youngster Shea Lacey in the January transfer window.

Derby County find themselves in an excellent position to launch a tilt at the top six and the play-off places in the Championship and any additions in this January transfer window could be what proves the difference in that achieving the aim.

Derby have a strong squad that looks well put together throughout but perhaps a sprinkling of added quality in the final third could further aid their cause and targeting Manchester United youngster Shea Lacey should be up on their agenda.

In the summer, Derby underwent a major overhaul of their squad in what was the first summer of the John Eustace era and that led the Rams to needing a bit of time at the start of the season to gel but they have begun to find their groove.

The Rams’ 2-1 defeat of a struggling Charlton Athletic side at The Valley this week backed up a 1-0 win at Deepdale against promotion chasing Preston North End at the weekend, leaving them sitting just two points outside of the top six with 18 games to go.

Derby finished last season very well, eventually securing survival on the final day of the campaign having been rock-bottom when Eustace arrived and a similarly strong finish to this season would likely propel them into the lottery of the play-offs.

To enhance their chances of making that lottery, Derby should be looking at recruiting Lacey in this window, with the youngster potentially pivotal in deciding their fate.

Manchester United could look to loan Shea Lacey to the Championship

As ever, life at Manchester United has been uncertain for many but that has led to a few youngsters being given opportunities. Shea Lacey is one of those and it would have to be said that he has at least made a mark, both positively and negatively.

In a late cameo against Burnley under the interim management of Darren Fletcher, Shea Lacey was excellent and very nearly snatched all three points for the Red Devils with a long-range bending left-footed effort that clipped the cross-bar.

The 18-year-old Liverpudlian had made his debut a few weeks earlier under Ruben Amorim, which would suggest his talents were not just rated by the academy coaches at the club.

A few days’ later, the tricky attacker was then sent off against Brighton and Hove Albion in the third round of the FA Cup, leading to his suspension for the Manchester derby against Manchester City, which United won 2-0 in Michael Carrick’s first game in charge.

That ill-timed ban for the 18-year-old may well have been perfectly timed for Derby to take advantage with Lacey’s chances now likelier to be further limited at Old Trafford with Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, two left-footed versatile forwards, now returning from the CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Rather than stunt any momentum in Lacey’s progression, though, finding him regular game time elsewhere could be a crucial next step in this January transfer window and Derby could be an ideal spot.

Renowned for their extremely impressive academy graduates in recent years, such as Jayden Bogle, Jason Knight, Morgan Whittaker and Liam Delap, Derby have been extremely impressive at nurturing talent.

That has continued into this season with the loan signing of Bobby Clark from Red Bull Salzburg, who is flourishing at Pride Park, as well as Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh.

Manchester United would surely recognise that Derby could be an ideal landing spot to entrust their latest prodigy and Derby should be keen to pounce on that opportunity.

Fine margin football could be ideal for Shea Lacey at Derby

As was the case with both Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers, John Eustace teams are very good at getting results in games that are decided by very fine margins.

His style of football can be quite attritional and relatively unattractive to watch but it is very effective at the back and is extremely difficult to beat, while also providing enough in the final third to get on positive streaks.

That style would therefore surely be ideally suited to someone of a higher level of technical ability to use as a platform to play with a freedom to unlock the door, and that is where Lacey would come in.

In the modern era where the Americanised term ‘finishers’ is becoming a more widely accepted footballing phrase, there is merit to a player simply being used as a decisive figure in the final third at key moments in a game.

Derby’s game plan being to control the opposition and play with a relatively slow tempo means that games are often in the balance going on late on. In an instance where the game is in the balance, but it is Derby that need to chase it, Lacey would be an ideal man to bring on.

Unlikely to be ready to be a regular at second division level given his general lack of experience and general unknown quantity and quality, he wouldn’t necessarily be required to do that at Derby.

His role would be to be the X-Factor and that could be an ideal slot for him to be in and also something that Derby require in the final third of the pitch.

Eustace has built a squad with a fair bit of pedigree and experience in the final third, such as Carlton Morris, Patrick Agyemang and Ben Brereton Diaz, but they are lacking a player of the profile of Lacey; more diminutive and technical.

It could well be a match made in heaven but, even if not, appears low risk on both sides and so Derby should try to pursue a move for the United wonder kid.