Why Derby County should try to sign Tommy Watson & Man United player in the first week of January | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two players the Rams could sign at the start of the winter transfer window

FLW takes a look at two players Derby County should look to get a deal sorted for in the first week of the January transfer window.

The Rams' head coach, John Eustace, previously revealed to Derbyshire Live at the start of December he's already "got an idea" on what business he'd like to do in January - which includes both wide players and midfielders.

Additionally, following Owen Beck's ongoing hamstring injury problems, which forced the Liverpool loanee to return for surgery and terminate his stint at Pride Park, it's clear Eustace's squad may also need a left-back.

With this being said, there are two young talents that would inject fresh quality into areas where Derby are lacking depth - and loan deals are more than realistic options at this stage.

Harry Amass - Manchester United (Sheffield Wednesday)

With 30-year-old Callum Elder entering the final year of his contract and veteran Craig Forsyth now in the twilight of his career at 36, securing Harry Amass on loan for the second half of the season would provide an immediate boost of quality at left-back.

The 18-year-old is currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester United, where he's arguably been the Owls' standout performer so far this season - winning their Player of the Month award for November with 82% of the vote - and there is a twist which could see him leave.

The Sheffield Star reported that his Wednesday loan deal will require a "degree of renewal", and a number of other clubs have apparently registered their interest in Amass heading into January.

The Red Devils are also funding the entirety of Amass' current loan arrangement, including accomodation costs, so there is every chance he could go elsewhere next month.

What makes Amass such an attractive proposition for Eustace is he brings the kind of attacking attributes that everyone thought they’d see with Beck, so it's also a possibility that Derby are one of the sides that have reportedly registered their interest in him.

Tommy Watson - Brighton & Hove Albion

It's quite obvious that Derby currently lack a winger who can exploit space and beat defenders with genuine quality, so who better to sign than last season's play-off final winner, Tommy Watson?

Journalist Alan Nixon reported via his Patreon back in September that the Rams were among some second-tier sides that had sent scouts to watch Watson - and the 19-year-old has since been tipped to join the East Midlands club by Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie.

Brighton secured Watson's services for £10m in April, but given his lack of game time for them so far this season, a temporary move to Derby at the start of January would suit all parties.

Additionally, Ben Brereton Díaz's struggles this season have surely illustrated the importance of having multiple attacking threats available to Eustace, who's practically been the only starting option at times.

Rhian Brewster isn't exactly a winger either, but he's spent enough time on the sidelines through injury, which has meant Brereton Diaz has borne the brunt of a lot of criticism from Rams fans in attack. The likes of Kayden Jackson and Andi Weimann haven't started many games between them either, although again, the latter has mentioned his best position is as an attacking midfielder.

Watson's playoff experience and composure in crucial moments mark him as a player capable of delivering in high-pressure situations, exactly what Eustace will want in his Derby team.