Two Premier League Players Who Derby County Must Target In The Summer
Derby County are definitely a team on the up since Gary Rowett took over the team matters and promotion is a distinct possibility for them next year.
They have done well in the past in nurturing younger players and they will find it easy to tempt the better and young Championship and League One prospects to Pride Park. However, some proven Premier League quality wouldn’t go amiss.
To ensure that they are among the promotion hopefuls, Derby could do worse than attempt signing these two players who have been playing at the top level this season:
Jefferson Montero
The Ecuadorian winger is on Swansea’s books and is under contract until 2020, though he has found his opportunities limited in a tough season for the Welsh outfit.
His past involves playing for teams in Ecuador, Mexico and Spain and doesn’t stand out as anything too impressive. Nonetheless, Swansea have an excellent record in bringing players into the country with real talent and so it would be folly to think Montero cannot deliver in England.
Montero may be available for a price which would be in the sort of bracket Derby are trading in. He would be quite an ambitious signing for the Rams and could help to soften the potential blow of losing Tom Ince from the forward line.
Adama Diomande
Hull City are in dire trouble no matter what happens to them in the league come the end of May. Whether they stay in the Premier League or go down, they will still once again need to sell players to keep things going.
Diomande is one player who could become available, with the Norway international striker having scored just 4 goals this season for the Tigers. Stats are far from the full story in this case. Playing up front for a team who give limited opportunities to score, will never show up well statistically.
Diomande is just 27-years-old, reaching his peak as a striker and managed 3 goals in 11 appearances at Championship level last season. Whatever he did then, he can improve on it now. So looking at the bigger picture, Diomande could yet prove to be a great value signing for someone like Derby.
Derby will be in need of a centre-forward next term and although Diomande may not be the only one who can do the job for them, he would be one of very few who could offer so much versatility. He is comfortable out on the left-hand side and so would offer Rowett something different while going forward.
