Derby County: Paul Warne outcast must look for January move before it’s too late | OneFootball

The winger has struggled for minutes this season, and may look for a move away in the upcoming transfer window.

Derby County's return to the Championship has been a strong one and they are exceeding early expectations with the Rams currently 12th in the table.

Paul Warne, who has been relegated in every season that he has managed in the second tier, has continued to make his team a difficult one to beat, over two years since taking over from Liam Rosenior while the club were in League One.

While wins have been harder to come by in recent weeks than they had at the start of the campaign, just one loss in six has seen the East Midlands side maintain their mid-table status as the Championship gets ready to return after a week's hiatus due to the final international break of 2024.

Although players and supporters of Derby may have enjoyed the last three months, for one player, Tom Barkhuizen, 2024/25 has been an extremely difficult camapaign. However, January offers a great opportunity for the out-of-favour winger.

Barkhuizen has struggled for minutes this season

This season has not quite been what the 31-year-old had hoped for when his deal was extended at the end of the Rams' promotion campaign for another year.

He has made just four appearances so far back since their return to the Championship, all of them coming in August. A calf injury sustained in the warm-up ahead of his side's 1-0 win over Cardiff City a game later saw him miss the nine matches, with Corey Blackett-Taylor, Kayden Jackson, and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing sharing the responsibility on the wings throughout those weeks.

Barkhuizen may have been looking at returning to the fold quickly after he came back from an injury, but two unused substitute appearances have been all that he has managed since getting over his fitness issue.

It's been an extremely frustrating period, especially when it can be said that Derby's wing options have not exactly pulled up trees themselves.

However, when he has featured in the Championship this season, he has not shown himself to be at the level needed to ensure that the Rams have enough to stay in the division and moving on could be the best thing for his career.

Barkhuizen has to look for a move in January

On one hand, Warne is in need of options off the bench with experience in the second tier at the moment but Barkhuizen has not shown that he has the quality needed to play a part.

It seems likely that Derby will look for a new winger in the January window and the 31-year-old must look for a move of his own, potentially to League One.

The ex-Preston North End man needs consistent minutes and that will not be on offer at Pride Park Stadium unless the Rams have an injury crisis. Leaving the club to find game time is important not only for the immediate but also with the coming years in mind, as it does seem as though this will be Barkhuizen's last season in black-and-white, no matter what happens this winter.

As such, he'll be keen to put himself in the shop window and prove that despite passing 30 he can still cut it. A six-month loan spell would offer him the chance to do that but a permanent departure may be better still.

The winger showed in 2023/24 that he is still more than comfortable playing in the third tier, and he could provide crucial goals and assists from the flanks for a team pushing for a top six finish.

Barkhuizen has a very rich CV in the EFL and clubs in League One will surely be interested if Derby are open to letting him leave. Right now, it seems like a January departure would be the best solution for all parties.