Why Liam Thompson & Lars-Jorgen Salvesen must escape Derby County in the summer | OneFootball

FLW take a look at two Rams players who may be sold at the end of the season

After a very successful January transfer window, FLW take a look at two Derby County players that should explore fresh starts elsewhere in the summer.

As per transfermarkt, it’s worth noting that Richard O’Donnell, Danny Batth, Joe Ward and Callum Elder’s contracts are all due to expire at the end of this current season.

Given their impressive form so far, the argument can be made that Ward and Elder are the most likely from this list to potentially have their contracts extended - which doesn’t include Andreas Weimann, who has joined Rapid Vienna.

So, yes, there’s not many to pick from, but there are two set to remain under contract who may well end up being sold. Please bear in mind that this is a suggestive list.

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen

When Derby signed Lars-Jørgen Salvesen from Viking in January 2025 for a reported fee of £800k, optimism was high that the Norwegian striker could become a key player - just like what Sondre Langås has ended up doing at the other end of the pitch.

But, unfortunately, things haven’t gone quite to plan for the 29-year-old. From the knee injury he suffered under Paul Warne that ended his first campaign in English football early, Salvesen’s involvement this season has largely been limited to short cameos from the bench.

Across 23 league games under John Eustace, Lars has only started three of them - mainly being used as an impact sub to see games out or try and nick a goal, which worked against Hull City.

Even when Carlton Morris first became unavailable, Eustace opted to rotate other attackers ahead of the Norwegian up front, despite Derby fans thinking it would've been a like-for-like replacement.

In December, the Rams' head coach did tell BBC Radio Derby that Salvesen would get more chances, yet only one of his league starts has come since then - and Morris is edging ever closer to returning.

It’s clear that Eustace views him more as a squad player than a long-term first-team regular, and with limited minutes, he may never hit stride in a Derby shirt. You could definitely see him returning back to Norway in the summer.

Liam Thompson

Liam Thompson’s situation is different to Salvesen's, of course, but he’s one that could be moved on in the summer along with the Nordic striker.

The 23-year-old midfielder penned a new two-year deal at Pride Park last summer after impressing during the latter stages of 24/25, and he has certainly played his part this season as well when others have been out injured - starting 11 times.

But both Lewis Travis and David Ozoh are considered nailed-on starters when fit and available, and we saw exactly that during the 5-0 win at Bristol City, where Thompson was an unused substitute.

Yes, Ozoh is on loan, but FLW exclusively revealed that Derby were interested in signing QPR’s Sam Field during the January window before he joined Norwich City, which indicates that Eustace would want to strengthen that area again this summer.

If Field did opt to join Derby, you could argue that he would've been brought in to battle for a starting berth or as the preferred back-up ahead of Thompson, and even Oscar Fraulo perhaps.

Yet £200k January signing Fraulo seems to be versatile enough to play as either a more defensive midfielder or further forward.

Add young attacking midfielder Owen Eames into the mix, and there's a real selection headache at the club when everyone is fit and pushing for game time, which could leave Thompson to seek pastures new.

Clearly, Derby have done very well with squad turnover this past month, but that could continue in the summer. For Salvesen and Thompson, staying could mean another season being primarily benched.