"I could see it" - Paul Warne opens up on why Max Bird left Derby County for Bristol City | OneFootball

Derby County manager Paul Warne admits he could not prevent midfielder Max Bird from leaving the club to join Bristol City.

Bristol City completed the signing of Bird on deadline day, with the 23-year-old putting pen-to-paper on a contract to keep him at Ashton Gate until the summer of 2027, and he will return to Derby on loan for the rest of the season.

Bird joined the Rams at the age of 10, and after progressing through the academy, he has established himself as a key part of the first team in recent years, scoring three goals and providing five assists in 30 appearances in all competitions this season.

Hull City had two bids rejected for Bird in the summer, and Derby had attempted to tie the midfielder down to a new contract, but he was unwilling to commit his future to the club.

The Rams currently sit fourth in the League One table, one point behind second-placed Bolton Wanderers, and while they will be disappointed to lose Bird, it is a huge boost to have him available until the end of the season as they look to secure promotion.

Warne: Max Bird wanted to leave Derby County

Warne revealed that he could do little to stop Bird departing for Bristol City, with the midfielder keen to take on a new challenge.

Asked when he realised it would be tough to convince Bird to stay, Warne told Derbyshire Live: "It was quite early on really. Max has been courted by a few clubs over the years. A year or two ago, a couple of clubs had offered big money for him.

"He didn't go and I always think it's difficult when you are a youth team player and come through the club, you always get looked upon differently by the fans, the staff and by everyone.

"You don't want to become part of the furniture, and I do feel that some players do that. For example, at my previous club, I had Ben Wiles and Jerry Yates. Both were amazing players but got to the stage where they thought they needed to go somewhere else and show their worth. "I could see that in Max. He loved it here, he's had a great time and he will do until the end of the season. It is just his natural path and, as much as it is an awful thing to say, there are not many players who spend their whole career at one club. "But there is a part of you as a footballer when everything just becomes a bit grey. I knew from talking to him, and he was so polite, that he would give everything for the club but needed, personally more than anything else, to go and live in a different part of the country and play for a different club.

"I could see it. It didn't matter what the money was - that wasn't his motivation. He felt like it was his time and he had set his heart on a different challenge. I have to respect it. You can't keep players against their will. It's just pointless. Sooner or later his performances would drop and then the value of the player drops too. It's a perfect bit of business for everyone, and everyone is happy with what has happened."

Derby County should look to the positives of Max Bird deal

Warne would have been desperate to keep hold of Bird, but if he was reluctant to sign an extension at Pride Park, his departure was inevitable.

While it has not been revealed how much Bristol City paid for Bird, Warne had previously stated that it would take a "mind-blowing offer" for the Rams to consider selling the midfielder, so it is likely that the club have received a significant transfer fee.

Securing Bird's return on loan until the end of the season was crucial for Derby, and he will be a huge asset for Warne's side in their promotion push.

Bird is the latest talented youngster to be produced by the Rams academy, and if they can continue to develop players and sell them on for big money, it will be incredibly beneficial for the club.