3 players who could leave Derby County this month after John Eustace 'enquiries' comment | OneFootball

The Rams' head coach has seemingly opened the door for potential departures in the coming weeks

Derby County head coach John Eustace has opened the door for potential departures from Pride Park this January.

Speaking to BBC Radio Derby's Dominic Dietrich in the aftermath of the Wrexham loss on Sunday, Eustace mentioned that transfer activity could be imminent.

The Rams boss said on possible outgoings, "Listen, we have had a couple of enquiries about two or three of our players, so you know that's something that we'll have to look at over the next couple of days."

Given this hint, FLW takes a look at three players who could be leaving the East Midlands outfit in the coming weeks. Please bear in mind that this is a suggestive list.

FLW exclusively revealed at the start of December that Derby are open to either loan or permanent offers for Curtis Nelson, and his situation has only become more precarious since we broke that news.

The 32-year-old centre-back was notably left out of Derby's squad entirely for the recent matches against Middlesbrough and Wrexham, a telling sign of how far down the pecking order he has fallen.

Given that Nelson is out of contract at the end of the season, it would make sense for the Rams to offload him for a fee if they can - but that’s probably unlikely after the long-term knee injury he unfortunately suffered.

Yes, he did impress against Birmingham City on Boxing Day, but the writing seems to be on the wall for the Rams' Player of the Season from the 23/24 promotion campaign to seek pastures new.

2 ? ? Kayden Jackson

A case could be made for Corey Blackett-Taylor to maybe leave the Rams, but after his impressive 30’ minute cameo on Sunday, where he made two successful dribbles and took as many shots, the ex-Charlton Athletic man seems better-placed to stay than Kayden Jackson.

Jackson has made 21 appearances across all competitions this season, yet the majority of these have been short spells from the bench lasting no longer then 20 minutes. In the league, the 31-year-old has started just twice and has yet to score or provide an assist.

Our Rams Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, backed Jackson to depart during the January transfer window a few months ago, and given his continued lack of game time and productivity, that prediction could yet prove accurate.

Also, like Nelson, his contract runs out in the summer - so Jackson appears to be a player who the club could be willing to move on if a suitable offer arrives. For added context, CBT’s contract runs until 2027.

3 ? ? Ebou Adams

Perhaps the most intriguing player among those potentially available is Ebou Adams, as you can’t argue with the fact that the Gambian falls out of favour with Eustace when other midfield options are fit to play.

The 29-year-old is still a firm fan favourite following his loan spell that helped the club secure promotion from League One - and his performances during 24/25 suggested he was a key figure for Derby's future.

However, Eustace obviously made Lewis Travis captain over him in September, and now the ex-Blackburn Rovers skipper is back getting minutes with the first-team, you can assume Travis will always be first pick. Add in the Oscar Fraulo signing, Liam Thompson playing often with Bobby Clark, AND David Ozoh - Adams might even fancy leaving.

In Adams' last eight Championship games, he has only started three - and one of those was the home defeat to Leicester City in which the midfielder was taken off at half-time.

Ultimately, there is every chance Adams could seek game time elsewhere if the opportunity presents itself. While his leadership qualities remain valued, from a tactical perspective, Eustace appears to favour others more comfortable on the ball.

Whether Nelson, Jackson, Adams, or indeed any other players depart Pride Park will most likely depend on the quality of offers received and the head coach’s assessment of what replacements might be available. Again, this is a suggestive list, based off who might've been enquired about as stated by Eustace on Sunday.