"I'd be disappointed" - Malcom Christie reacts to Louie Sibley, Derby County contract situation | OneFootball

The Rams are still yet to tie down the player, after offering him a new deal.

Louie Sibley is yet to decide on his future, as he verges closer and closer to becoming a free agent, but former-Derby County hero Malcolm Christie wants to see him stay.

After a promotion-winning season with the Rams, Sibley is yet to commit his future to Pride Park. The 22-year-old left wing-back has been with the Rams since he was a boy, graduating from the club's academy system into the first team in 2020.

But his time with County could be up, as offers from elsewhere, including Rotherham United, may convince him to take his talents somewhere else.

Christie, who played over 100 games for Derby, wants to see Sibley stay.

Malcolm Christie's view on Louie Sibley, Derby County contract situation

The former Rams forward told Derbyshire Live that he would understand the 22-year-old's reasoning if he decided to leave the club, even though he would want County to keep him.

He said: "I'd be disappointed to see him go. But obviously if things can't be agreed then he would leave with everyone's best wishes. Whether it's Derby or somewhere, I think at his stage in his career, he needs to be playing regularly.

"Whether Derby can give him them assurances I don't know because we know he's he's filled in that left wing-back position because he's had to and needed to. That's not necessarily his best position if you ask him, but he would fill in any role as we know because he's that type of guy.

"Now, if he's not the left wing-back who Paul Warne (head coach) wants to move forward with in the Championship, then where does he see him? I suppose as a player if you're not necessarily going to get those assurances then the question mark comes in, doesn't it?

"Is this the right thing for me? Do I need to move on not to necessarily advance my career because it might be a case just to get game time. He might move sideways or downwards in terms of the level of club, because for me it's going to be difficult for Louie to join a club of the stature that Derby are.

"I've experienced that myself. But when you play a number of years at a club and I suppose, as Max Bird has experienced, there in a way, sometimes you might want to test yourself elsewhere.

"You want to see different surroundings, meet new people, be coached by different people, have a different set of fans, wear a different hat. I get that. It might just be that case that he just says, you know what, I've had a great time at Derby, but let's move on to pastures new. And if that was to be the case then, as I say, he'd leave with everyone's best wishes."

Sideways move could be best for Louie Sibley

To compete in the Championship, Derby are going to have to upgrade their squad. The likes of Conor Hourihane, Dwight Gayle and Martyn Waghorn were all released, probably because the management didn't believe that they would be good enough for their new level.

Sibley wasn't a consistent starter in League One. He made a lot of appearances from the bench, and, like Christie said, there is no guarantee of game time for him, which is what he really needs at his age.

If he were to go to a team like Rotherham and make waves as their number one option down the left-hand side, it'd set him up for better progression in his career than to be a bit part player for the Rams.