Warne gives verdict on Derby's transfer business

Head coach Paul Warne admits Derby County missed out on three transfer deadline day targets, but insists he remains satisfied with the business the Rams did get done across the winter window.

Getting teenager Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Pride Park on loan was the only deal the Championship strugglers got over the line in the hours before the mid-season transfer window closed earlier this week.

He was the fourth addition made, with centre-backs Matt Clarke and Sondre Langas, as well as striker Lars-Jorgen Salvesen joining in January.

"On the whole, am I pleased with the window? Yeah, I'm pretty pleased," Warne told BBC Radio Derby.

"I like the players that we have brought in, but I would have liked one or two more."

The sale of Eiran Cashin to Brighton for £9m, a season-ending injury to his centre-back partner Curtis Nelson, as well as an injury to forward Dajaune Brown after offloading forward James Collins to Lincoln City meant the additions represent replacements more than reinforcements in the Rams' relegation battle.

Before a change of heart from clubs Derby were trying to do business with, that was not how it was looking for the Rams.

"I can't give out names, but we had centre-forward that was coming in, a wider player that was coming in - it was all on, then on the last day the club changes their mind," he said.

"And not our club, their club. And there is not much we can do about that.

"I don't feel let down, I would have liked obviously more power at the top of the pitch because in games, we are losing games – I'm well aware we are losing games – but we are losing games by one goal.

"We are not being outplayed, I don't think defensively but in possession we just need to give ourselves more chances to score and obviously that is inclusive of bringing in players at the top. That is my disappointment and I know they are the hardest to get."

You can hear more from Paul Warne about transfers, the Rams' form and their next match against Norwich on BBC Radio Derby's Rams Daily podcast.