The 8 Derby County players set to leave Pride Park in 2026 ft Kayden Jackson | OneFootball

We looked at the eight Derby County players who are set to leave the club next summer when their contracts expire.

Despite an influx of new signings over the summer, it is fair to say that it has not been the start to the season that Derby County would have hoped for.

After being dragged into relegation danger towards the end of Paul Warne's tenure, John Eustace successfully kept Derby in the Championship last season following his shock move from play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers in February.

Having only narrowly avoided the drop, Eustace oversaw a big rebuild of his squad this summer, with Richard O'Donnell, Max Johnston, Danny Batth, Dion Sanderson, Owen Beck, Lewis Travis, David Ozoh, Bobby Clark, Andreas Weimann, Rhian Brewster, Ben Brereton Diaz, Carlton Morris and Patrick Agyemang all arriving at Pride Park during the course of the transfer window.

After their eye-catching summer of transfer business, many tipped Derby to be one of the dark horses in the second tier this season, but it has not worked out that way so far, and Eustace will be hoping that his side can begin to live up to expectations over the coming months.

While Eustace's current focus will be on improving results on the pitch, he will soon have some big decisions to make on his squad, and we looked at which Rams players will be departing at the end of their contracts in the summer as things stand.

Richard O'Donnell

After being released by League One side Blackpool in the summer, goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell joined Derby on a free transfer, with the 37-year-old putting pen to paper on a one-year contract at Pride Park.

O'Donnell has brought vast experience to the Rams' goalkeeping ranks, but he is currently third choice behind Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Josh Vickers, so there are question marks over whether his deal will be renewed beyond the summer.

Josh Vickers

Goalkeeper Josh Vickers made the move to Derby from Rotherham United in the summer of 2023, reuniting with then manager Warne after working with him previously at the New York Stadium.

Vickers has never managed to establish himself as number one at Pride Park, but he has been a safe pair of hands for the Rams whenever called upon, most notably during the final few games of last season in Zetterstrom's absence.

Curtis Nelson

Defender Curtis Nelson joined Derby from Blackpool in the summer of 2023, and he played an integral role in helping the club win promotion from League One in his first season in the East Midlands.

Nelson continued to be a crucial part of the team in the first half of last season in the Championship, but he has been sidelined since sustaining a serious knee injury back in January, and he will be looking to prove his fitness and earn a new deal once he returns.

Danny Batth

After rejecting the offer of a new contract at Blackburn Rovers, defender Danny Batth linked up with Eustace once again at Pride Park this summer after signing a one-year contract with Derby.

Given Batth's strong relationship with Eustace, he was expected to be a regular for the Rams this season, but after starting the first three league games, he has lost his place in the team in recent weeks.

Callum Elder

Defender Callum Elder joined Derby on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 following his release by Hull City, and he was another member of the squad that won automatic promotion from League One in the 2023-24 season.

Elder has continued to be a reliable performer for the Rams in the Championship, but his place in the team could come under threat once Liverpool loanee Owen Beck makes his return from a hamstring injury.

Joe Ward

Winger Joe Ward made the move to Derby from Peterborough United in the summer of 2023, but his Pride Park career has never really taken off due to persistent injury problems.

As FLW exclusively revealed, Ward was on the radar of Oxford United and Portsmouth in the January transfer window, but he remained with the Rams, and the 30-year-old will be determined to show Eustace what he is capable of as he enters the final year of his contract.

Andreas Weimann

Like Batth, forward Andreas Weimann was another player to turn down a contract offer from Blackburn to reunite with Eustace at Derby this summer, with the 34-year-old also signing a one-year contract at Pride Park.

Weimann scored nine goals in 34 games for Rovers last season during a productive spell at Ewood Park, and while he has yet to replicate that form in a Rams shirt, he certainly still has plenty to offer at Championship level.

Kayden Jackson

Derby looked to have completed a coup when they signed forward Kayden Jackson from Ipswich Town last summer, but he has failed to win over some sections of the Rams fanbase.

Jackson scored just 28 goals in 199 games during his six-year spell at Portman Road, and his struggles in front of goal have continued at Pride Park, but with Eustace having a shortage of options in the wide areas, he could be a useful player to have in the squad this season.