The Derby County players who may sign a pre-contract agreement away from Pride Park next month | OneFootball

Football League World has taken a look at the eight players at Derby who are out of contract in the summer and could leave for another club.

Derby County have struggled in the last couple of months after an explosive start to life in the Championship, and they will be looking forward to the January transfer window to make improvements to their squad.

It's been a long season already for the Rams, and they are in desperate need of bringing in new stars to help in their fight against relegation, after it looked as though they were destined for a mid-table finish.

However, there will also be an eye on those who could potentially leave the club next month.

Football League World has taken a look at the eight players who are out of contract at Derby next summer who could be targeted to sign pre-contract agreements and play outside of England for the 2025/26 campaign.

Rohan Luthra

Rohan Luthra signed for the Rams before the season started, and is currently the club's third-choice goalkeeper behind Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Josh Vickers.

He was brought to Pride Park with the knowledge that his game-time would be extremely limited, and most of his work would be done at the training ground alongside his other shot-stoppers.

His deal is due to run out in June, and he could be the subject of interest for others looking at a back-up goalkeeper, but it seems unlikely due to his lack of minutes.

Sonny Bradley

Sonny Bradley is in his second year at Derby, but his involvement has become a lot less following promotion to the Championship.

Now 33, the centre-back is at the back-end of his career, and a move to Scotland would not be surprising to allow him to play regular football at a decent standard once again.

Bradley is the fourth-choice in his position now at Pride Park, and it seems that this will be his last season with the club, and he may look to guarantee himself a move early before the complications of the summer begin.

Craig Forsyth

Derby's current longest-serving player, Craig Forsyth has been solid once again on his return to the Championship. Signed from Watford in 2013, there are not many players that have shown the level of loyal that the 35-year-old has, and he will want to wait it out and see if he is given another year by the club that he loves.

Forsyth is now at the end of his career, and it would not be a surprise to see him leave Pride Park through retirement at the end of the season. Playing for another club would also be difficult for the left-back now, and ending his career with the Rams would feel right.

"Fozzy", as he is affectionately known by supporters and teammates, triggered a performance-based extension in his contract in 2023/24, but it is unknown if he has a similar option this year.

Kane Wilson

Kane Wilson's contract situation is one that is expected to be sorted soon, with the right-back an integral part of Paul Warne's plans after he joined a on a two-year contract last summer.

With Ryan Nyambe injured, and Joe Ward inconsistent, the Rams' number two has established himself as the first-choice in his position, and letting him go now would be a bizarre decision to take by the East Midlands club.

A new deal is more than likely not too far away for Wilson, especially after Curtis Nelson signed a new one in November, and Warne will look to tie down his star before others can arrange an agreement with him.

Liam Thompson

Liam Thompson has returned from injury with a bang this season, and he has made a real impact on the team, despite performances from others perhaps being lower than they should have been.

He also triggered an extension on his deal in the summer, and his current contract is due to run out in June.

As he is under 23, Derby will be entitled to compensation if another club signs a pre-contract agreement with the midfielder, but the Rams must avoid any chance of that happening as his potential is incredibly high.

Tom Barkhuizen

Tom Barkhuizen was the first signing of the David Clowes era, and made his 100th appearance for the Rams against Leeds United in the Rams' 2-0 defeat at Elland Road at the start of December.

However, after his deal was extended for another season in the summer, he has struggled for consistent game-time, and he has also faced difficulty with injuries, and he was forced to miss the majority of the start of 2024/25.

It would not be a surprise to see Barkhuizen move on in January permanently, but if he cannot do that before the end of the month, he may just negotiate with a club to sign ahead of the new season to ensure he has a team ready for him.

James Collins

James Collins has seen himself drop down the pecking order this season following the loan signing of Jerry Yates and the emergence of Dajaune Brown in the senior team, but he has offered energy when needed.

He signed a new deal in the summer to extend his stay for a third season at Pride Park, and although he is not as prolific as he has been in the past, his experience is crucial for Warne in the dressing room.

Few would expect the 34-year-old to stay past June, and he may look at securing a deal before then to avoid the same issues that his former teammates Dwight Gayle and Martyn Waghorn faced at the start of this campaign.

Conor Washington

Conor Washington has been an outcast this season, and has spent a lot of his time playing for the club's U21s team.

Derby signed the striker ahead of their League One promotion winning campaign on a two-year deal, and he played just 19 times, scoring only three goals - with injuries plaguing him throughout.

He is seemingly not in Warne's plans, and it would not be a surprise to see him, like Barkhuizen, move on in January. However, if he struggles to find a new club, then he may organise a deal outside of England to get his playing career back on track.