Derby County are on the verge of losing yet another summer transfer target after Viktor Johansson’s release clause was activated by a Championship club, according to reports.
The Rams have now begun preparing for life back in England’s second tier, having earned promotion out of League One on the final day of the season last month with a 2-0 win over Carlisle United. Derby will also be joined by title-winners Portsmouth and either Bolton Wanderers or Oxford United, who face off against one another in the play-off final this coming weekend.
Derby County has been out of the Championship for two years, but the club is in much better shape now that David Clowes, a lifetime supporter, owns it. As a result, Paul Warne’s team will be active in the trade market as they seek to strengthen their roster.
Johansson, the goalie at Rotherham United, has been linked with a move to Pride Park. The Swedish shot-stopper played for Warne while he was in charge of the South Yorkshire club, and journalist Alan Nixon stated a fortnight ago that Johansson was one of Derby’s targets this summer.
However, this trade appears to not be coming to fruition anytime soon, as Stoke City have activated his £900,000 release clause at the New
According to John Percy of The Telegraph, the Potters are close to signing the 25-year-old.
It was also revealed this week that the Rams have identified Charlton Athletic fullback Thierry Small as a potential addition to Warne’s backline for next season. Unfortunately, the Addicks announced on Thursday afternoon that they had activated the one-year extension clause in the youngster’s contract, keeping him at The Valley until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Writer’s perspective
Unfortunately, clubs like Derby County will always have long transfer lists since they are unable to compete with clubs with larger funds. While Warne appeared to be interested in bringing in competition for Joe Wildsmith, buying a goalkeeper for close to £1 million, The squad’s other priorities were never realistic. Missing out on Small could be a more significant transfer market loss than failing to win the race for Johansson. The 19-year-old fullback is an exciting prospect who could have boosted the club’s defensive depth, but it’s understandable that Charlton wanted to keep him after his good performances since signing as a free agent in February on a six-month contract.
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