Ipswich Town star should be top of Derby County's three-man transfer shortlist | OneFootball

The Rams need reinforcements in the January window, and could turn to the loan market.

Derby County will be able to look back on 2024 with pride, and although they have not quite had the luck that they may have wanted at times in the Championship, there are some positive signs.

The Rams have made a decent impression on the second tier since their return following two years in League One, and big wins over Bristol City and Portsmouth coupled in with excellent performances and three points against both Coventry City and Middlesbrough have proven that they have more than enough to compete.

However, there is a desire for more recruitments to help in their fight against relegation and push them towards mid-table.

Football League World has taken a look at three players who should be at the top of Derby's shortlist in the January transfer window, and ranked them from least important to most.

Luke Cundle spent the 2023/24 season on loan at both Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City, playing a key role for both sides. He was a favourite of Steven Schumacher, who signed him twice, but he stayed at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer.

The central midfielder is extremely versatile, and can play in both defensive and more attacking roles when required, and Paul Warne could see this as the perfect attribute to help complete his team's midfield.

The 22-year-old has struggled for game-time at Molineux over the last few years, and it seems unlikely that he will be given the chance to impress any time soon and the Rams must take advantage of this.

With the Premier League side also having a new manager in the form of Vitor Pereira, Cundle could find himself a forgotten man even more, and while a loan deal may only be possible now, it may lead to a permanent deal at the end of the season if Derby do take an interest.

2 Louie Barry

Louie Barry is one of the hottest prospects in England right now, and there are multiple Championship clubs keeping a key eye on the forward as the January transfer window edges closer.

Derby are one of those, and while they are not leading the way to secure the deal, the 21-year-old would fit in extremely well at Pride Park, with the Rams in desperate need of more goals from their strike force.

However, despite his impressive season on loan at Stockport County from Aston Villa, Barry should not be Warne's number one target, with the battle for him potentially too time-consuming. Missing out on other players on his shortlist could put the 51-year-old off from the fight that is about to happen between Championship clubs.

Barry will have an excellent career, and has the potential to play in the Premier League and Derby would benefit from his services, but with Middlesbrough in pole position, it seems unlikely that he will end up in DE24 this season.

As stated previously, the Rams, and Jerry Yates in particular, need more help scoring goals this season.

The loan market seems the most likely way for this to happen at the moment, and Ipswich Town's Ali Al-Hamadi could be the player to take the East Midlands side towards the top half of the table and a very successful first campaign back in the Championship.

The 22-year-old has struggled for minutes in the Premier League in 2024/25, and Kieran McKenna will want to see him given regular game-time, and this could be at Derby.

The Iraq international has come on leaps and bounds over the course of the last year, and he has gone from League Two football with AFC Wimbledon to the top flight in less than 12 months. However, it seems as though this current level is perhaps a step too far.

The Rams could be the place where he can get the minutes that he needs, and with his physical presence, he would fit perfectly into Warne's team.

Al-Hamadi has a very bright future, and he will know himself that dropping back down to the Championship will help him reach the levels that he can. Derby would be lucky to bring a player with the quality that he has to the club, but they must try everything they can to make that dream a reality.