John Eustace's first Derby County signing this summer should be obvious | OneFootball

The Rams spent in excess of £10m on bringing 13 new players to Pride Park last year

It’s not hard to see who John Eustace should target as his first Derby County signing this summer.

Last summer, the Rams spent in excess of £10m on bringing 13 new players to Pride Park, albeit 5 of whom came on loan and only four commanded a fee.

Derby paid money for each of Carlton Morris, Patrick Agyemang, Max Johnston and Lewis Travis. It's unfair to judge Johnston too much given the Scotsman's five-month injury layoff, but the other three have all contributed, in varying amounts, to the club's current position.

Considering the East Midlands outfit were under a two-year transfer embargo that was lifted in 2023, and hadn't paid a transfer fee before then since 2020, the last three years have been very positive on that front.

With the Rams seemingly going from strength to strength each year when signing players, there's one player that'd continue this trend perfectly...

Who John Eustace's first Derby County signing this summer should be

The Rams’ head coach has been careful not to give too much away, but his recent comments about Bobby Clark make it clear where his mind may be heading in the next few months.

Yes, the on-loan RB Salzburg midfielder is now unlikely to be seen again this season unless Derby reach the play-off semi-finals, but Eustace has spoken all year about the club being a place where young players can grow - and Clark has done just that.

With the 21-year-old now shortlisted for the EFL Championship Young Player of the Season award, if Derby can find a way to keep him long term, they absolutely should.

This is not just about 'falling in love with a loan player' either. It is about a player who arrived needing minutes and responsibility after a previous big money move. Across 41 league games, the former Liverpool prospect is likely to end the campaign with three goals and three assists.

Ever since that QPR game in October, partnering with David Ozoh in the middle, which only happened because other options were unavailable, Clark has combined relentless energy out of possession with real composure on the ball.

Aside from Clark, you could also imagine that Eustace would want to sign Sam Szmodics permanently as well from Ipswich Town. Some Derby fans have voiced their concern at points throughout the latter stages of the season, with Eustace playing Szmodics over Clark, but a Championship side going for automatics needs top quality depth.

Bobby Clark could help spearhead Derby County promotion

Perhaps the beauty of this situation for Derby is that so many of the usual unknowns around a big summer signing simply do not exist, a bit like the perception around Patrick Agyemang before he arrived from Charlotte FC.

The club knows exactly what Clark is like and how he copes in the Championship under Eustace. They also know that, when the manager talks about wanting to bring him back, the player himself may also be very open to the idea.

As previously alluded to with the Szmodics situation, there will surely be other irons in the fire this summer. Eustace and the recruitment team will probably be assessing options in every area of the pitch as well - but Clark signing should be first on whatever list they have.

If attempts fail this season, and Derby are serious about mounting a proper promotion push next campaign, then it's about building a squad that can grow rather than be ripped up every 12 months.

Especially when you consider Eustace likes to talk about how long a squad have been together in his pre-match interviews.