"I don't think it's a bad thing" - Exclusive: Pundit reacts to Derby County transfer action | OneFootball

Derby County will have raised a few eyebrows in their reported interest in another veteran player

Sam Morsy had reportedly been linked with a move to Derby County, before news of a move to Kuwait stepped up.

Derby’s interest was originally reported by Alan Nixon, via his Patreon page, before the East Anglian Daily Times revealed the 33-year-old was set for a move to Kuwait SC.

That Derby were ever in the mix is an interesting point, given that three of their five signings so far are in or approaching their mid-30s, with one of the remaining two, Carlton Morris, approaching his 30th birthday at the end of this year.

We asked pundit Lee Hendrie whether the Rams need to focus on bringing their squad age down with some younger recruits or whether they should continue their apparent tactic of bringing in experience, as their interest in Morsy suggests they intend to do.

Derby backed in opting for experienced recruits

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “Derby County seem to have brought a lot of experienced heads in and there's obviously the link with Sam Morsy as well: another older player.

“I don't actually think it's a bad thing at times to have a platform to maybe bring experienced heads in that know the league, know what it's all about.

“Listen, you have to certainly look around and feel that there are a lot of clubs now going down the younger route, which is great, yeah, and I'm sure that they'll still look to bring younger players in.

“But when you've got experience, you do feel that at times it can be the key.

“I think it's the long-term journey that you need to look at, and I think Darby, obviously secured their place in the Championship since Eustace's gone in, he's seen the opportunity to bring in experienced players.

“And I'm sure that there'll be youth that'll be mixed in with that as well, so I don't think it's a bad thing whatsoever.”

Agyemang signing suggests Derby are keen to bring the right mix in

It seems highly likely that the Rams will enter the Championship next term as one of the older squads in the division, with only six players in their current squad aged 24 or under.

As Hendrie alludes to, with recruitment in professional football going younger and younger to get top talents before their value explodes, it can be easy to dismiss experienced professionals merely on their age alone.

But experience counts for a lot, and while some entering the twilight of their career may have lost a yard of pace or face longer recovery periods, they may well make up for in other areas with hundreds of professional games under their belt.

Heading into the season with leaders, strong heads and experienced professionals throughout the dressing room creates the perfect environment to drop youthful elements into, which is why the Rams have focused a good deal of their budget – thought to be up to £7.3m – into striker Patrick Agyemang.

He arrives with an impressive MLS record from Charlotte FC and will inject a youthful energy that Pride Park may currently lack a bit of, but in return can provide the USMNT international with crucial lessons to develop.

Derby may need to look younger at some point in the future, but for now, with their eyes focused on consolidating themselves as a second-tier outfit more comfortably than they did last term, experience may well be the order of the day.