Derby County given clear Corey Taylor-Blackett message ahead of January - "Eustace doesn't fancy him" | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County fan pundit has named one player likely to leave in January

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County made a slow start to the new Championship season, but found their form and climbed the table.

This is John Eustace’s first full season in charge at Pride Park after arriving in February, and it was only in the summer that he finally had some say on the shape of the first team squad.

A raft of new signings, particularly in attack, gave the Rams a bit of a new look for this campaign, with Eustace making his mark on the team.

But the January transfer window will also provide an opportunity to complete deals to potentially improve the squad for the second half of the campaign.

It also offers some players on the fringes of the squad a chance to move away from Derby and seek game time elsewhere.

Corey Taylor-Blackett January exit claim

When asked if there is one player who could leave in the winter market, FLW’s Derby fan pundit Shaun Woodward named Corey Taylor-Blackett due to his lack of game time so far this season.

He considered Kayden Jackson’s future, but thinks the forward is in a solid squad role, so Eustace will want to keep him around, but that Blackett-Taylor could end up going out on loan in order to prove his fitness.

“I would’ve said Jackson, I expected him to leave in the summer because he was going to struggle to get into the side, which he has done,” Woodward told Football League World.

“However, I do believe he’s adapted to this role of coming on in the last 20 minutes of games, he’s actually done okay when he’s come on.

“I think he’s someone Eustace likes, and he does what he’s told, and that’s a good squad player to have.

“So I’d almost be torn now and say Corey Taylor-Blackett will be the one looking to get a move out in January because he’s come back from injury after a good pre-season, and he’s barely featured.

“He’s got a couple of minutes here and there.

“And I think now he’ll want to be playing, and if he’s not in the side, or getting more minutes by January, then I think he’ll be looking to go out on loan.

“Because he is someone that needs minutes to get his fitness back and to prove to everyone that he’s not injury-prone.

“Sadly, at Derby it just hasn’t worked out for him, which is a shame because he looked amazing in pre-season.

“But, for whatever reason, Eustace doesn’t fancy him in this system we’re playing and he’s not giving him much time on the bench either.

“Unless that changes, I can see Corey Blackett-Taylor going out.”

Taylor-Blackett initially joined Derby on loan in the 2024 January window, arriving from Charlton midway through their League One promotion campaign.

The winger signed on a permanent basis that summer, but managed just 12 appearances in the Championship as the team finished 19th in the table.

He has continued to struggle for minutes into this season, casting doubt on his Pride Park future.

Corey Taylor-Blackett move in January would make sense

Taylor-Blackett hasn’t been in the side this season, and he will be agitating for more minutes, so a move away could make sense for all parties.

A loan deal to another Championship team, or perhaps a step down to League One, in order for him to prove his fitness and potentially even increase his market value with some good performances would benefit Derby and the player.

While he provided some use to the Rams in staying up last season, he’s never proven himself as a key part of the team, especially under Eustace.