Derby County urged to seal agreement with "shining light" at Pride Park | OneFootball

FLW's Rams fan pundit wants to see Kane Wilson tied down to a new deal as he approaches the end of his contract at the club

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...

Right-back Kane Wilson has been picked out as the main player that Derby County have to keep hold of in the upcoming transfer window, with his contract set to expire this summer, following his impressive performances throughout this season on their return to the Championship.

Wilson is only 25-years-old, but has been a professional for close to nine years already, after he emerged as an upcoming talent at boyhood club West Brom in 2016.

He was unable to make a name for himself with the Baggies, and League Two side Forest Green Rovers was where he made a real breakthrough into the senior game before a move to Championship outfit Bristol City in 2022.

That move was probably a step too far for him at that stage, and so he dropped back into League One in 2023, joining the Rams on a two-year deal as they looked to get out of the third-tier. Wilson helped Derby achieve promotion last season, and has been a key part of their side in the second-tier as they aim to avoid relegation under John Eustace.

Derby fan pundit issues Kane Wilson contract demand - he is a 'shining light' in their team

Wilson has featured 34 times in all competitions so far this season, with two goals and one assist to his name, while being the Rams' first-choice option at both right-back and right-wing-back under Paul Warne and Eustace.

He has been a standout in Derby's side throughout the campaign, with impressive pace, strength and determination that has seen him quickly become a fan-favourite among those at Pride Park. It is clear that he is now ready for Championship football, after struggling in his single season at Ashton Gate two years ago.

Wilson is out-of-contract this summer, and there have been hardly any updates about the status of potential extension talks, with the Rams' hierarchy and the 25-year-old himself likely waiting to see what league the club will be in next season before a decision is reached.

We asked Derby's FLW fan pundit Shaun Woodward to name one player at the club that he really does not want to lose this summer, and he picked out Wilson.

He has urged the club to look to extend the right-back's contract, no matter which division they are in, while he also believes that they must keep hold of both Nat Phillips and Matt Clarke following their recent impressive performances at the heart of their defence.

“It’s really hard for me to pick one player that I really don’t want us to lose this summer. If I am greedy, there are three," Shaun told FLW.

“Kane Wilson is, for me, the obvious one, because he is out-of-contract. We desperately need to tie him down to a new deal, because he is our one shining light going forward.

“He can beat a man, he’s big, he’s strong. If he could sort out his goalscoring and his assists, just calm himself down in that final third, we have got one hell of a player on our hands.

“He is the one, If I had to pick one, that I think we have to keep.

“Then it’s also the two centre-halves, for me, Nat Phillips and Matt Clarke. They’ve been immense, absolutely unbelievable for us in these last ten games.

“If we can somehow keep both of them, I think we have got the foundations and the makings of a really good solid Championship side that can push for top-half, even play-offs, if I am greedy, next season.”

John Eustace wants Wilson to stay - an extension will surely depend on their league status

Wilson has been a key man for the Rams since he joined from Bristol City, so it is understandable why supporters are clamouring for him to remain at Pride Park past this summer.

He has especially stepped up in recent months under boss Eustace, with the Rams having lost just twice in their last 10 league games with him in the side, while they did not win a single game in the seven before that with him out injured due to a hamstring issue.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers head-coach has praised the 25-year-old's talents recently, and has insisted that he would like him to stay at the club for next season as the Rams look to prorgress in the second-tier.

"I think Kane's a fantastic young player who I'm really enjoying working with and who I'd love to keep working with," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby last month.

"He's been excellent, he's a player I watched a lot when he was younger at West Brom and when I was at Kidderminster, I actually looked at trying to get him on loan."

Derby's Championship fate is in their own hands this weekend, as a win against relegation rivals Stoke City will be enough to see them safe in the second-tier for another season. It certainly seems likely that Wilson will sign a new deal if they achieve survival.

A draw or loss could see them down, though, if results do not go their way, and the right-back could well look to depart the East Midlands at the end of his contract this summer if the club are back in League One, with Championship clubs sure to be interested in his services following his impressive form throughout this campaign.