The £6m Derby County star who must hate Ipswich Town transfer news | OneFootball

Anis Mehmeti would be a coup for Derby County but his arrival could disrupt the rhythm and form of Bobby Clark.

Derby County will be hoping to challenge for the top eight and the expanded play-off places in the Championship this season and ambitious moves in the window will always be welcome for that goal – but it may have an affect on key man Bobby Clark.

Having missed out on the top six and the play-off places on the final day of last season, Derby, in their second full season under the management of John Eustace, will again be expected to challenge this time around.

Their summer started well with the £6 million addition of Bobby Clark from Red Bull Salzburg with the former Liverpool midfielder key to their success last season and again expected to be their creative focal point this year.

They have, though, also now been linked with a move for another attacking midfielder in Anis Mehmeti, who looks set to be deemed surplus to requirements at Ipswich Town.

That should not be taken as a slight on the quality and pedigree of Mehmeti, who has impressed in the Championship both with Ipswich and Bristol City before that, but more a sign of just how ambitious and big spending The Tractor Boys have been over the summer since gaining promotion back to the Premier League.

Mehmeti would be an impressive signing by Derby, but it could have ramifications for the role of Bobby Clark at Pride Park.

Anis Mehmeti would be a major coup for Derby

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Mid-way through last season, Ipswich completed the signing of Anis Mehmeti from Bristol City and he was key to helping the Suffolk-based outfit finish as runners’ up to Coventry City in the second-tier.

Mehmeti provided one assist and scored two goals in 19 appearances for Ipswich at the back end of last season and those contributions were pivotal in providing depth and helping Ipswich get over the line.

Technically gifted, the 25-year-old Albanian only looks set to depart Portman Road this summer after a summer of heavy spending has seen them bring in the likes of Abdul Fatawu, Emersonn, Daizen Maeda and Julio Enciso in attack, as well as Chuba Akpom signing a permanent deal, Jaden Philogene now looking set to stay and Jack Clarke scoring their opening day winner against Sunderland, albet amid ambitious interest from Middlesbrough.

Mehmeti, at Championship level, would return as one of the best attackers and attacking midfielders in the division, most prominently having played as one of two so-called ‘number tens’ at Bristol City, but also adept off the left flank and even, occasionally, up-front.

Reportedly worth £3 million with just a few months left on his contract at Ashton Gate just half a year ago and having now helped a team gain automatic promotion, Mehmeti would have to be viewed as a major coup for The Rams, should they be able to pull off his signing.

Bobby Clark may have to adjust his role at Derby

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While a coup, it may well affect how Derby set themselves up and exactly where key man Bobby Clark features for John Eustace’s side moving forward.

Clark has played as an all-action midfielder in the past for Eustace but has started this season, retaining his spot as chief creator, in a more advanced role in a 4-2-3-1 system.

Roaming from the centre and often to the left of midfield, where he did damage against Cardiff City in their first home game of the season with a goal and an assist, Clark will naturally remain a starter for Eustace but that ‘free role’ may become a little more shackled.

Clark will face competition to be the attacking talisman for Eustace and for Derby, with Mehmeti someone who will also expect to dominate proceedings from a similar position.

It could well be that Clark, a marquee signing and someone who cost a hefty fee only this summer, is taking over by Mehmeti as Derby’s star and go to man, shifting more often out to the left to allow for Mehmeti through the middle and in behind Carlton Morris or, when fit, Patrick Agyemang.

Competition for places will be high at Derby

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A good headache to have, John Eustace would also have to consider where Sammie Szmodics fits into things, such will be the competition for places in attacking roles at Derby.

Szmodics joined Derby on loan in January after Ipswich had brought in Mehmeti before re-joining the club, again on an initial loan deal, this summer.

Capable of playing out-wide, Szmodics may well have to suffice with that role to accommodate both Clark and Mehmeti, but, again, his preference would surely be to feature as the prominent ‘number ten’.

Oscar Fraulo and Corey Blackett-Taylor started alongside Clark against Cardiff with Szmodics unavailable, and with Felix Bilbija, Ryan Hedges and Rhian Brewster all also at the club; it would be a case of six going into three in behind either Morris of Agyemang, with Eustace preferring the lone ‘target man’ style.

Szmodics, Mehmeti and Clark are all key men and would all feel like automatic starters but their preferred position would, again, perhaps all be either as the attacking midfielder or slightly off to the left – giving Eustace a headache.

Eustace will have work to do to work out the best system if Mehmeti joins and it could well be that the form Clark has found and shown in the last 12 months gets ever so slightly disrupted – albeit it is a very good problem for the Derby boss to have.