Derby County launch £1.4m bid for star wanted by Watford - Club have responded | OneFootball

The Rams have seen their opening bid rejected for Scotland international right-back Max Johnston

Derby County have seen their opening bid rejected by Austrian champions Sturm Graz for Scotland international right-back Max Johnston.

Johnston has been somewhat instrumental in helping Die Schwoazn secure back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles, making 24 appearances in the league last season.

The 21-year-old also featured five times in the Champions League in 24/25, winning 100% of his tackles attempted, three.

Born in Middlesbrough but representing Scotland at international level, Johnston made his senior debut for his country in March 2024 as a late substitute in the Nations League victory over Greece.

The former Motherwell academy graduate has been praised by Liverpool's Andy Robertson, who noted the youngster has "come on so much" since his first camp.

Derby County see bid rejected for Max Johnston

Derby County's £1.4m bid for Max Johnston has been rejected by Sturm Graz, with the Austrian side viewing that amount as below their valuation, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.

The 21-year-old has also been the subject of reported enquiries from Watford and St Etienne, and it seems he's in high-demand this summer.

At the start of June, Ligue 1 sides RC Lens and Nice also apparently expressed their interest in the defender, which suggests the Rams are after a top prospect.

Although Derby's offer was turned down, negotiations are expected to continue.

Max Johnston bid surely confirms end of Callum Brittain pursuit

The pursuit of Johnston strongly indicates that Derby County's long-running interest in Blackburn Rovers right-back Callum Brittain has reached an end.

The Rams reportedly made a £3m bid for Brittain - but that was quickly branded as "fake news" by Rovers boss Valerien Ismael.

However, Pete O'Rourke tweeted that Middlesbrough are the ones closing in on a deal for the 27-year-old, and have agreed a package worth £3.5m to bring him to the Riverside.

With this in mind, switching to Johnston - and actually tabling a bid - suggests John Eustace has now very quickly moved on in his attempts at another Rovers reunion with Brittain.

Johnston's contract with Sturm Graz runs until 2027, meaning the Austrian club are under no pressure to sell, and the Scotsman has previously expressed his enjoyment of life in Austria, stating that he feels he has "improved" a lot during his time with the club.

It remains to be seen how much Derby would be willing to bid for Johnston, though ongoing negotiations imply both clubs remain hopeful of reaching an agreement.