Why Tariq Uwakwe would be a smart signing on loan for Derby County

According to the Sun, Derby County are interested to sign Chelsea youngster Tariq Uwakwe on loan until the end of the season.

A central midfielder by trade, Tariq Uwakwe, 20, signed a new three-year contract last summer and is widely regarded as a future star. He is set to be loaned out to Frank Lampard’s former club, with the Blues keen to get him ready for first-team football in the future.

As far as Derby County are concerned, they are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions. Wayne Rooney’s arrival at the club seems to have given the rest of the players a much-needed confidence boost.

There’s still plenty of time for the Rams to get their season back on track and although they lie 17^th on the table, they are only eight points off a play-off place.

Derby reached the Championship play-off final under Frank Lampard last season. Lampard, whose managerial career started at Pride Park, left to manage Chelsea after the Blues had sacked Maurizio Sarri in the summer of 2019.

While being the manager of Derby, Lampard brought in Chelsea youngsters Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori on season-long loans and the duo shone last season.

Keeping in mind the Rams’ fruitful relationship with Chelsea last season when Lampard was at the helm, Derby boss Phillip Cocu should take advantage of it by bringing in Tariq Uwakwe.

Uwakwe has featured six times in Premier League 2 this season, helping the U23s to reach the top of the table. He also started in the 3-2 win away at Swindon in the EFL Trophy in August.

A central midfielder, who can play central or on either flank, the England youth international has made a real impression at Stamford Bridge and a move to Derby on loan would help him get valuable game time to develop.

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The Blues youngster would have an ideal surrounding at Pride Park to develop and learn the tricks of the trade from manager Phillip Cocu and richly experienced Wayne Rooney.

Verdict

Cocu needs to sign some news players this month to give the team the best possible chance of doing that.

Derby are well-stocked in central midfield and signing one shouldn’t be a priority but there’s no harm in adding depth to that position. Thus, signing Uwakwe on loan until the end of the season makes sense.