Derby County reaction given to big Ipswich Town transfer - John Eustace has sealed 'win-win' agreement | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County Fan Pundit has weighed in on the Rams' deadline day signing of Sammie Szmodics on a loan until the end of the season.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County have had a spectacular January transfer window, with early moves for Oscar Fraulo and the permanent deal of Dion Sanderson handing John Eustace an early boost.

Jaydon Banel's loan switch from Burnley in the closing week of the window saw the Rams add to their pool of wingers, with Derry Murkin making the permanent switch from FC Utrecht in the Netherlands on deadline day to give the club more depth at left-back.

However, there is no doubting their greatest deal, as Sammie Szmodics made his way to Pride Park to reunite himself with Eustace. Signed on loan from Ipswich Town until the end of the campaign, the 30-year-old will be raring to go, although he will not feature this weekend as his new side face his parent club.

Nonetheless, with the Tractor Boys originally asking for £6m for the attacking midfielder, who can also play in a more advanced position if needed, Derby will be delighted with bringing the 2023/24 Championship Golden Boot winner in on loan.

Verdict made on Sammie Szmodics deal as Derby County confirm transfer

Szmodics only joined Ipswich in the summer of 2024, bidding goodbye to Blackburn Rovers to join Kieran McKenna's side in the Premier League for £9m. However, he has struggled for form, with injuries proving to be an issue.

Therefore, when it was reported that the Rams were keen on a permanent deal for the versatile attacker, supporters may have had some fears over the asking price, and Football League World's Derby Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, believes the club has made the right decision in signing him on loan.

He told FLW: "I think it's very sensible from Derby. It means we get to look at him for a dozen games or so. If it goes well, then we can go in with an offer in pre-season. If it doesn't go well, then he returns to Ipswich and he's not a problem. So, I think it's a win-win for Derby.

"It’s a very shrewd bit of business, and it gives him a run of games to showcase his abilities and try and get a move to Derby if that's what he wants. That's great for us," Shaun concluded.

Derby County will hope that Sammie Szmodics can finally find form once again

This season has been a difficult one for Szmodics, with the 30-year-old scoring only once in 16 Championship games. His time at Ipswich has been fraught with difficulty so far, and this is a fresh start for a player with plenty of talent.

Eustace knows exactly how to get the best out of the attacking star, with his goals for Blackburn in 2023/24 proving to be the difference between survival and relegation, with a brace on the final day of the campaign enough to keep Rovers in the second tier.

While Derby's ambitions are clearly different this season, fans will be hoping that Szmodics can find his feet under Eustace, and help the team to a play-off finish.

If he can link up well with the likes of Patrick Agyemang and Carlton Morris, then the Rams will be a serious threat in the final months of the campaign, and he could just earn himself a permanent move to Pride Park.