John Eustace has one clear Derby County transfer mission - it involves Birmingham City | OneFootball

Dion Sanderson has impressed in Derby County's recent winning run, and bringing him in permanently must be a priority for the club.

After an underwhelming start to the season, Derby County have really clicked into gear under John Eustace in the past few weeks.

A hard-fought 2-1 win over Hull City in the week made it four wins on the bounce for the Rams, which is an achievement for any club at this level.

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of those victories is that they came in exactly the sort of way you would expect from a Eustace team.

It may not have always been pretty, but Derby showed resilience, fight and organisation to ensure they were competitive, and individual quality made the difference.

Dion Sanderson has really stepped up for Derby County

With that in mind, it seems harsh to single out individuals, as it really has been a team effort from Derby.

Plus, when it comes to identifying individuals for praise, it’s hard to look past Carlton Morris, who has scored five goals in the past three games, or Sondre Langas, with the defender having returned to full fitness to produce some fantastic displays in the back three.

But, one player who also deserves credit is Dion Sanderson, who has been a key part of the defensive structure that has been central to Derby’s success.

It’s no secret that Eustace is a huge fan of the player, as he has signed him for Birmingham, Blackburn and now the Rams.

Yet, it’s fair to say that some Derby fans may have wondered what the fuss was all about after Sanderson’s start in a white shirt, as whilst he was by no means poor, he didn’t exactly stand out.

However, Eustace has stuck by the defender, and he has repaid that faith with some big performances during this winning run.

Sanderson brings different qualities to the defensive line, with his physicality and recovery pace crucial to the way that the team can play. Plus, he is willing to step out and defend on the front foot, and when you add in the powerful Clarke and classy Langas, it’s a very strong unit that compliments each other.

Over the years, Sanderson has shown quality, but he has lacked consistency, and the challenge for the 25-year-old will be to maintain the high standards he has set recently.

John Eustace will be pushing for Derby County to seal permanent Dion Sanderson transfer

Despite his relationship with Eustace, it’s important to note that Sanderson is currently only on loan at Derby from Birmingham City.

The defender has a contract at St. Andrew’s that runs until the summer of 2027, and when he was pressed about the possibility of turning the loan into a permanent move, Eustace didn’t give much away.

It’s no surprise that he has taken that stance in public, but you can be sure that the boss is pushing for Derby to secure Sanderson’s signature ahead of the January window.

As explained above, this is a player that Eustace knows well, one he trusts, and one that has delivered some big performances for him over the years.

So, with Sanderson set to approach his peak years, it would make little sense for Derby to miss out on a deal, or take a chance that he may go elsewhere when his loan deal is scheduled to finish at the end of the campaign.

Some could rightly point out that there’s no rush, but Eustace is planning for the long-term at Pride Park, and Derby will want the reputation of a club that rewards players who do well for them, and to have a core group they can build around.

Of course, there’s a lot of football to be played between now and January, but it seems apparent that Sanderson will have an important role to play for Derby - and he is likely to be part of the furniture as long as Eustace is in the dugout.