Derby County: Major Ebou Adams transfer development shared following Cardiff City talks | OneFootball

Derby County have made significant progress as they look to complete the signing of Ebou Adams from Cardiff City on a permanent basis.

Highlights

Derby County are closing in on the signing of Ebou Adams from Cardiff City, with the Rams set to pay nearly £1m to bring the midfielder back to Pride Park after his successful loan spell.

The 28-year-old joined Paul Warne’s side in January, and he played a key role as they won promotion back to the Championship.

Therefore, bringing Adams back to the club has been a priority for the recruitment team, and talks have been ongoing in the background.

And, in a fresh update, Telegraph reporter John Percy revealed that progress has been made as the clubs work on the transfer.

“Derby are very close to agreeing a fee with Cardiff for midfielder Ebou Adams, who was on loan last season. Cardiff have turned down a number of bids but the two clubs are now expected to finalise a deal at just under £1m. Will then go to personal terms.”

Ebou Adams improves Derby County

It’s no surprise that this is a deal that Derby are pushing to do, as the impact Adams had on the team was clear to see last season.

He brought a physicality that they had lacked in the middle of the park, and his intensity, positional play and ability to win the ball back brought a new dimension to the side.

Of course, this is a step up to a higher league, but Warne knows all about the player, and he is still a player that can make his teammates better around him.

It’s also a low-risk move, as Adams knows the group, the manager is aware of his character and ability, so it’s something that they were always going to try to do. For under £1m, it seems a very fair fee as well, so it’s a move that suits all parties.

Ebou Adams will be determined to take Championship chance

Derby will also be getting a player with a point to prove, as Adams had worked his way up the leagues to earn a move to Cardiff, but he only made 11 appearances in the Championship for the Bluebirds.

Admittedly, he had some very bad luck with injuries, but at 28, the midfielder will feel this is the perfect time for him to get back to this level, and he will want to show he belongs.

Given how easily he settled into the East Midlands outfit earlier this year, you would expect Adams to be keen to get back to Derby as they will provide the platform for him to kick-on in his career.

Derby County’s summer plans

There’s no denying that it’s a big step from League One to the Championship, so Warne was always going to need to make signings to improve the squad.

Yet, the Rams aren’t in a position where they just throw money at it, so it’s about being clever in the market and trying to identify bargains - which they will hope Adams turns out to be.

On the whole, they have enjoyed a very productive summer window so far, with several new recruits already through the door, and it’s a real boost for the boss that they can join pre-season at an early stage.

So, whilst there is more business to be done, the Derby squad is shaping up nicely as they count down to their opening league fixture at Blackburn on August 9.