Derby County must take Man United transfer gamble if Brereton Diaz era ends | OneFootball

Derby County should look to sign Shea Lacey on loan from Manchester United this summer if Ben Brereton-Diaz deal collapses

Derby County recently endured a much-improved campaign than their previous one, and as the summer transfer window officially opens, John Eustace will have his crosshairs set on going one better next time around.

Had you offered Derby fans an eighth-placed finish at the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign, the majority of Rams supporters would have been pleased by that prospect.

Having only survived relegation on the final day in 2025, Eustace sought to ensure that the Rams were fighting at the other end of the division next time around, and despite a rocky start, winning just one of their opening ten league games, he delivered on that ambition.

In fact, heading into the final game of the season, Derby stood a chance of sneaking into the play-offs, and although Hull City's victory over Norwich City rendered their chances futile, it was still a much-improved year for the club.

The former Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers coach has cultivated a strong squad harmony amongst his players, and has made no secret of his intentions to reunite their loan stars of last campaign at Pride Park once again, including Ben Brereton Diaz.

However, should a move for the Chilean not go through, Eustace ought to turn his attentions to Manchester United instead and take a calculated gamble on one of the Red Devils' brightest prospects.

Derby County should look to sign Shea Lacey from Man United this summer

Action images

Brereton Diaz, 27, joined Derby on loan in the summer from Southampton, making the move to Pride Park alongside the likes of Patrick Agyemang, Rhian Brewster, and Bobby Clark to add some depth and quality to the Rams' attack.

The Chilean international scored seven and assisted three in 40 league appearances during his time with the club, with Eustace opening up on his intentions of re-signing his loan stars this summer, including Brereton Diaz, saying: "Obviously, he'll be on a lot of other clubs' radars, I'm sure, as well, going into the next season, but I think we've made him feel very at home, and we've given him a fantastic opportunity.

"I think he wants to be part of the club and fingers crossed we can get that done."

The 27-year-old has opened the door for a return to Pride Park this summer, saying: "When I knew that I could go out on loan, and Derby was a choice, it was a no-brainer.

"They’re a great club and, in the past, I played against them and the supporters and everything like that, so I thought it was a great fit for myself, and obviously, speaking to the gaffer, it was really good.

"I’m so happy I made the decision to come here on loan because it’s such a great club, and I’ve enjoyed myself."

However, should a move for the Chilean international not materialise, Eustace should turn his attention to Old Trafford instead and take a gamble on Man United youngster Shea Lacey.

Lacey, 19, has made a name for himself in the Red Devils' youth academy over the years and was awarded his first-team debut in December 2025, coming on as a late substitute and displaying confidence beyond his age.

Best utilised off the right flank, where he can cut in on his left, Lacey has already shown his excellent dribbling ability in his cameos under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford, and the obvious next stage of development for him is to find first-team minutes in regular men's football.

With Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Patrick Dorgu all capable of playing off the right for United, Lacey is unlikely to earn meaningful minutes next season and should look to head out on loan to continue his development.

Derby would be an ideal destination for the England youth international, following in the footsteps of former United attacker Jesse Lingard, and with Eustace adept at deploying a system with wingers or wing-backs, Lacey would slot right in.

Whilst not a direct replacement for Brereton Diaz, his presence in the side has the potential to be more impactful than that of the Chilean's, and whilst his addition would be a gamble, it could be one worth taking.

Shea Lacey is versatile enough to fit for John Eustace

Action images

During the latter stages of the season, Eustace shifted from a back three formation into the more popular 4-2-3-1 shape, with Burnley loan winger Jaydon Banel playing a key role for them as the season progressed.

Whilst this doesn't mean he will stick with the same shape heading into next season, it indicates his willingness to be tactically flexible when necessary.

Lacey has played the bulk of his youth and senior career on the right flank, but has shown himself to be capable of playing a more central role when required, and could be utilised as an attacking midfielder if necessary.

His addition would be a gamble for Derby, without a doubt, but one almost certainly worth taking, with superstar potential.