The Sonny Bradley factor that might make him a Derby County mainstay: View | OneFootball

The former Luton Town captain made the switch to Pride Park last summer.

Highlights

Derby County head into the new Championship season with a backline that is almost identical to the one that won promotion from League One in 2023/24.

So far, there has been just one new addition to Derby's defence, with boyhood fan Ben Osborn making the move to the Rams following the expiration of his Sheffield United contract. The 29-year-old has the potential to play at left-wing back, as well as in central midfield, with his final position for the new campaign still undecided.

However, Paul Warne's choice of centre-backs remains constant, with Eiran Cashin, Curtis Nelson, Ryan Nyambe and Sonny Bradley all contenders to start in either a two or three partnership.

The latter, has had an up and down start to his Derby career, after joining the club last summer following five years at Luton Town - helping the club to two promotions, including one to the Premier League in his final season with the Hatters.

Despite his inconsistency last season, Bradley's experience could be key to the Rams' chances of survival in 2024/25, and he may just force Warne into a huge decision ahead of the club's first league game against Blackburn Rovers on Friday 9th August.

Bradley's experience could be key in a relegation battle

The 32-year-old has played 121 games in the Championship so far in his career, with that number set to grow in the coming months. Throughout his time in the division, he has played in a multitude of situations, helping Luton stave off relegation in 2019/20, before the club rose all the way up to the play-offs for both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons - winning promotion at the second time of asking.

Although a knee injury saw him fail to make a true impact in his final year at the Hatters, he was still able to captain the side through the final five games as Rob Edwards' side finished third.

It is this experience, particularly towards the end of the season, that will be key to Warne's team, and whether they hit the targets that they have set this summer.

Warne has played with a three at the back in the past at Derby

Alongside the youth of Cashin and the raw power of Nelson, Bradley could be the perfect accompaniment in a solid three-player defence.

Derby ended last season utilising a three rather successfully, with the ex-Plymouth Argyle defender scoring twice against Leyton Orient in a 3-0 home win back at the start of April after coming back from a three-match suspension following a straight red card against Northampton Town.

Bradley's height and ability to play as a more old-fashioned centre-back compared to the more ball-playing styles of Cashin and Nelson could make him the perfect choice to link last season's Derby Player and Young Player of the Year winners once again.

As stated previously, Bradley can also bring goals to the team. The Rams led League One in terms of goals scored from set-pieces in 2023/24, netting 25 times from a dead-ball.

With the likes of Joe Ward, Kenzo Goudmijn and Ben Osborn swinging in corners and free-kicks, Bradley could provide going forward as well as at the back - and as a third centre-back he may provide more physical presence than that of a midfielder.

It seems likely that Warne will chop and change his formation throughout the new campaign, and with his history of playing more defensive football, especially in the Championship, 2024/25 may just be Bradley's year to become a bit of a Derby cult hero.