Derby County tipped to eye Blackburn Rovers transfers and new attacker transfer links predicted | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County pundit has issued two summer transfer predictions.

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…

John Eustace is hoping to propel Derby County out of the relegation zone in the final few fixtures of the season.

The Rams had endured a dreadful run in 2025, and it seemed the new manager had taken on a daunting task after suffering three successive defeats in his opening games.

However, they now appear to have turned a corner, securing victories against play-off hopefuls Blackburn Rovers and Coventry City, as well as a crucial win against relegation rivals Plymouth Argyle.

They now sit just one point behind Cardiff City, with eight games remaining to salvage their season and secure their Championship status.

If they remain in the second tier next season, they can build on the foundations they have laid. However, another relegation to League One would necessitate a complete reset.

This will be reflected in their transfer dealings, with the Derby board hoping they can pursue their top targets rather than having to settle for lesser alternatives if they are in the division below.

Derby County summer prediction revealed

To get a Pride Park point of view on what the summer window could hold, Football League World spoke to their resident Ram, Shaun Woodward, who revealed his two transfer predictions.

"One prediction is that we will be linked with a host of Blackburn Rovers players," said Woodward. "We always seem to be linked with the manager's ex-club players. We had it with Paul Warne and Rotherham United - we were linked with Michael Smith of Sheffield Wednesday in nearly every transfer window.

"I can imagine it will be the same with Eustace. We will be linked with all his former players, and we will probably end up signing none of them while someone random comes in.

"Another thing that will happen is that we will be linked with a host of attacking players - centre-forwards who are probably out of our reach. We will start to get excited about bringing in a Championship-quality striker, and, knowing Derby, we will end up keeping Yates.

"We need to not get ahead of ourselves - trust Eustace and believe that he knows what he is doing in the transfer window.

"No doubt, we will get a bit excited and carried away, as fans always do."

Derby County need a strong transfer window

With Derby on the rise, supporters will be feeling optimistic about their chances of staying up. If they do secure survival, they must carry this positivity into the transfer window.

The Rams aren't the most affluent club in the division, but that shouldn't stop them from making smart acquisitions. This can come in the form of reliable Championship players or scouting abroad for hidden talents that can take them to the next level.

One of Eustace's goals has to be to bring the average age of the squad down. Currently, they have the oldest squad in the league and this isn't sustainable looking into Derby's future.

The next transfer window will be pivotal and, if they remain in the Championship, Eustace can begin overhauling his squad to stamp his own mark on the team.