Steve McLaren has done a thoroughly appreciable job ever since taking charge of Derby County. Despite having started the season in an unconvincing manner under the tutelage of Nigel Pearson, the Rams have picked themselves up in an impeccable manner and are poised in a favourable situation to earn themselves a spot in the play-offs. Derby County have seen quite a few play-offs but they have had to deal with heartbreaks and thus, the stakes are high at the moment.
Frankly speaking, McLaren had a squad with formidable stature and there wasn’t much to be done in the transfer window that just transpired. However, he hasn’t refrained for injecting a few odd additions to boost his team’s chances and to ensure that Derby go the distance this time around. As many as three new faces have arrived at the Pride Park Stadium and here is how we rate their latest acquisitions in the January transfer window.
Julien de Sart (6/10)
Not a significant signing but might turn out to be an effective loan deal. De Sart is a Belgian U21 international and plies his trade in the central defensive slot. He came through the youth ranks of at Standard Liege and has made 75 appearances, including notable Europa League exposure. The promotion hopefuls have added more steel to their midfield.
David Nugent (7.5/10)
Nugent was a perennially overlooked striker under Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough and never really had opportunities to showcase his talents for the Smoggies and thus, a permanent move to take him away from the Riverside Stadium was always on the cards.
Despite that, he still remains a quality striker and most importantly, a proven target-man in the Premier League. He had won promotion in both of his last two seasons in the Championship and thus, apart from his goal-scoring nucleus, his experience and leadership shall undoubtedly come handy in the Rams’ attacking setup.
Kyle McAllister (6/10)
Derby County snapped up a cunning deal to rope St. Mirren’s winger Kyle McAllister who is one of the hottest properties to emerge out of Scottish football. The starlet can be comfortable on either wing and can also be stationed in the no. 10 role, thus being offensively as versatile as one can be. It would be interesting to see how his situation develops in the coming months, but he has the aura in him to be for a long time at a renowned club like Derby County.
