Derby County urged to consider Middlesbrough, Reading FC transfers before Feb 3rd | OneFootball

The Rams will be looking to make additions over the next week to help in their battle against Championship relegation

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 are a side that look in desperate need of some further additions before the end of the transfer window right now, with the Rams failing to pick up a point from any of their last six Championship outings.

With just three goals scored and eleven goals conceded in that time, it is clear to see that there are issues at both ends of the pitch for Paul Warne’s side, was they dropped into the relegation zone after the weekend’s results.

County still have a week to add to their squad before the February 3 deadline, while there has also been interest in defender Eiran Cashin - with Brighton and Hove Albion said to be sniffing around of late - which could be of concern if anything materialises before the window shuts.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s Derby County fan pundit Shaun Woodward about what a dream last week of the transfer window would look like for his side, with drastic changes needed at Pride Park, and fast.

Derby County need to consider defensive reinforcements

While Derby don’t have the worst defence in the division by a long chalk, the Rams have been leaking goals of late, which has seen them unable to grab a foothold in any outing since Boxing Day.

A quick fire double from Cardiff City last time out emphasised those issues even further, with Callum Robinson and Anwar El Ghazi making the most of the time and space afforded to them to put the hosts into a two-goal advantage just after the hour mark.

With just two clean sheets since October 6, it is far from a recent phenomenon for the Rams, and while Cashin’s future with the club is in doubt, Woodward believes even further additions at the back are needed to help plug the gaps in a porous backline.

Matt Clarke is a player that has been rumoured with a return to Pride Park over the past few weeks - with Football League World exclusively revealing as much - and the Rams supporter believes a familiar face returning to the dressing room could have a major impact on performances going forward.

When asked about his ideal scenario for the upcoming week, the County fan said: “For me, the dream window is to keep hold of Eiran Cashin, and if he is going to be sold, then have a clause in his contract so that he remains with us until the end of the season.

“That will then give us a better chance of staying up, although I do think regardless of what happens with Cashin we need another centre-half.

“Matt Clarke has been talked about, which I think would be an excellent signing for Derby; he knows the club and has been with us before and got Player of the Year.

“He could hopefully come in and hit the ground running, as he knows the area, he knows the team and the setup, training facilities etc. so it wouldn’t take him long to settle in. So I think he would be an excellent signing.”

Paul Warne must search for Derby County forward options

It is not only in the backline that County are struggling in recent times, with their forward line failing to do their job time and time again this season, which has contributed to their run of just two wins in their last 15 Championship outings.

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen has already been added to the squad to add an extra presence up top this winter, with the forward joining from Norwegian outfit Viking Stavanger, and netted on his first start for the club in the defeat in the Welsh Capital on Saturday.

While the 28-year-old looks like he will add to the limited fire power that Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson have provided this season - with the duo scoring nine goals between them to date - Woodward is of the opinion that even more options need to be added up top, and has set his sights on a pair of League One aces who could be available for a cut-price fee.

He continued: “Obviously, in the attacking areas we desperately need reinforcements.

“There has been talks of Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith at Reading, I know they are going through a tough time financially, so it could be an opportunity to take a couple of their players on the cheap.

“We know how that feels, it’s not great, but sometimes that is the way it is. We have had to accept it and I think both of those players would come in and make us better.

“They are both scoring goals at Reading, they have scored a lot of goals between them over the last couple of years, and I think they are both a relatively good age, both in their mid 20s, so there is a potential sell-on as well if they do well in the Championship.

“I think Sam Smith, Harvey Knibbs and Matt Clarke, I think that would be a good, realistic transfer window, and hopefully we can keep Cashin for the rest of the season as well.”

The Royals' pair have netted 18 league goals between them in the current campaign, with Knibbs already being linked with a move to Pride Park earlier in the month, and if they could get their hands on one, if not both, of the forward stars, their fortunes in the final third could be turned around in the second-half of the campaign.