Derby County told to sign 'top Premier League player' from Crystal Palace over Oxford United transfer raid | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County fan pundit doesn't think that Brian De Keersmaecker would be an upgrade on David Ozoh

After a solid first season in England ended in relegation to League One, Oxford United's Brian De Keersmaecker is set to be the subject of some transfer interest.

The 26-year-old cost the Yellows over £1 million to bring him to the Kassam Stadium from Dutch side Heracles last summer, and has arguably done enough to warrant his stay in the Championship to last a little longer than a single season.

He was unfortunately unable to contribute to Oxford's battle against relegation, missing the final three months of the campaign with a shoulder injury, and that win at Leicester City in January could be the final time U's fans get to see him in action.

According to Alan Nixon's Patreon, Derby County are keen on opening talks with the relegated side over a move for De Keersmaecker, as the Rams look to at least maintain their eighth-placed position from this season to next, as that would result in a play-off place.

John Eustace's side will likely be looking at midfielders this summer, with Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh set to return to Selhurst Park, and it's unclear if Derby will be able to retain his services in the long-term.

Derby County fan pundit tells Rams to go all out in David Ozoh pursuit, despite admiring Brian De Keersmaecker

FLW's Derby fan pundit, Shaun Woodward, has seen what De Keersmaecker can do in the engine room first hand, having put in a Player of the Match performance when the Rams lost at the Kassam Stadium last October.

That wasn't a one-off performance, either, and he'd welcome the prospect of bringing the Belgian in this summer. However, he doesn't think he'd be an upgrade on Palace loanee Ozoh.

"I'd say he's a very solid player, but not an upgrade on Ozoh," he told FLW. "When we played Oxford at their place in that terrible game — I try to forget about it — he was excellent and ran the show from midfield.

"He showed what he can do, and I wouldn't be against signing him. He'd be a very solid player to have, but Ozoh, when fit, is one hell of a player at this level."

Derby were afforded the possibility of taking Ozoh on a second loan spell last summer after initially bringing him in during the 2024/25 campaign. That year, numerous spells on the sidelines limited him to just 10 league appearances.

This season, the 21-year-old did miss three months after picking up a thigh injury in December, but managed 33 Championship games and showed plenty of promise within them.

"He's still young, still growing physically and is still learning his trade. If he can stay injury-free, we've potentially got a top Premier League player on our hands and someone we could make money on in the future," Woodward continued.

"So, I'd rather we try and get Ozoh, and if that's not possible, De Keersmaecker would undoubtedly be a good replacement. Now that Oxford are back in League One, it would help us get a better deal for him. So, it's sensible if we can't get Ozoh.

"I'd personally like to see us try and get him back because there is such a key player there going forward, and it would fit where we are as a club in terms of trying to bring young players who have high sell-on value.

"But De Keersmaecker is a solid player. Oxford paid good money to bring him in, so they obviously rate him highly, and he wants to play at a higher level than League One. He could be someone who could come in and sit next to Travis and do a job, as we do need legs in there.

"So, I wouldn't be against it, but, personally, I prefer Ozoh."

Derby County would hit the jackpot if they retain David Ozoh after a successful loan spell

Ozoh has had somewhat of a breakout 2026 in the heart of the Derby midfield. Since his return from injury in the FA Cup against Leeds United, the recently turned 21-year-old appeared in every game and started 15 of them.

There can be a lot of encouragement in the fact that the Crystal Palace loanee was able to remain fit for the entirety of that run, given his unfortunate past with injuries, and there'll be plenty of anticipation as to what's next.

That could be back in the Eagles fold in the Premier League under whoever Palace's new manager turns out to be, but if it's back in the Championship, you'd expect that Derby would be at the front of the queue.

The 21-year-old has grown in the Derby fold over the past two seasons, and as Woodward said, has plenty of potential to grow further if he remains fit. Regardless of whoever else they're linked with, if Ozoh becomes available, the Rams should be making him a priority.

But that doesn't mean that Derby fans will be displeased with a potential addition of De Keersmaecker. Perhaps an ideal situation would be for John Eustace to keep Ozoh and add the Oxford man to his squad this summer.