Where Patrick Agyemang ranks in Derby County's best paid players as Pride Park exit tipped | OneFootball

The American forward has ten goals and three assists so far this Championship season

Patrick Agyemang found himself on the receiving end of relentless grappling in Derby County’s 1-0 win over Birmingham City, for what feels like the umpteenth time this season.

As BBC Radio Derby’s Ed Dawes highlighted at the end of February, the Rams’ head coach, John Eustace, has repeatedly called for greater protection from officials, arguing that defenders are constantly fouling the American international.

This kind of treatment has done little to blunt his impact, but it does show how important the forward has become to Derby’s attacking identity - and how much of a loss he could be if a transfer exit happens in the summer.

How much money Patrick Agyemang earns at Derby County as possible exit mooted

It’s not news that Agyemang’s performances have put him firmly on the radar of Premier League clubs and raised the prospect of a huge summer decision for Derby.

Football Insider reported in February that the Rams are preparing to receive “big offers” for the 25-year-old this summer, with both Leeds United and Crystal Palace continuing to track him closely.

The same outlet also revealed that Derby valued the USA international at around the £20m mark during the January transfer window, which is perhaps what led to FLW’s Derby Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, believing that the East Midlands outfit could cash in on him.

Within that structure, Agyemang is listed as the 18th highest-paid player at Pride Park on an estimated £7.5k per week, which would work out at approximately £390k per year.

At the top end of Derby’s wage hierarchy is Sam Szmodics and Ben Brereton Diaz. These two are listed as the joint highest, and earn an estimated £25k per week. However, their salaries are probably complicated by loan arrangements and might not solely be Derby commitments.

Why Patrick Agyemang's Derby County transfer value could skyrocket

If the Rams do indeed value Agyemang at £20m - or at least did when the aforementioned report came out - then there's every chance that prospective amount could rise even more.

The forward has been called up to his national team for their respective fixtures against Belgium and Portugal, which is all in preparation for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. It's not exactly rocket science, but Agyemang's transfer value could increase a lot if he has a successful tournament.

Even if he doesn't, you can imagine Derby would still command a big fee for him off the back of this season so far, whilst also considering the length of his contract - which is for another three seasons after this one finishes. He has ten goals and three assists in the Championship after 35 played.

Ultimately, sitting 18th on the club’s estimated pay list at around £7.5k per week while being valued that high in the market is a reminder of how quickly Agyemang's stock has risen since arriving from Charlotte FC.

It's worth noting that Derby's most expensive departure was Matej Vydra to Burnley for around £11m in 2018 - so Agyemang has every chance to double that, but we all just have to wait and see how the rest of this season pans out first.