The January transfer window may have closed but that has not shut the door on new arrivals. Derby County made two signings last month, bringing in free agent Ashley Cole and Andy King on loan from Leicester City late on deadline day.
There were also a few departures and if Frank Lampard still wants to strengthen his squad, he can take a dip in the free agent market.
The signings of Ashley Cole and Andy King made complete sense for the Rams. Cole has been brought in to provide cover as well as competition for Scott Malone after Derby lost Craig Forsyth for the season to a knee ligament injury.
King’s addition will give the Rams’ midfield some much-needed bite and energy, while his rich Championship experience is a bonus to the squad.
As Derby can snap up free agents, Lampard should focus on strengthening his backline. With Curtis Davies out for the rest of the season and Alex Pearce on loan with fellow Championship side Millwall, Lampard has just Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori and Richard Keogh as the only senior centre-backs available for selection. Hence, the Derby boss should bring in former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou.
Johan Djourou, 32, signed a one-year deal with Italian club SPAL in the summer but made just six appearances before leaving by mutual consent in January 2019. For Derby, they’ll get a versatile player in the Swiss, who can play anywhere across the back-line, although his preferred position is as a centre-back.
Strong in the air and robust in the challenge, Johan Djourou will add some much-needed physicality to Derby’s backline. The former Arsenal defender’s previous Championship experience will come in handy for the Rams, who are chasing promotion.
Despite the 75-cap Switzerland international turning 32 last month, he still has a lot to offer and Djourou’s addition will provide valuable cover for the likes of Tomori and Keogh.
Lampard clearly needs to add depth to central defence to keep Derby in the promotion chase and he would be wise to take a punt on Djourou.
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