Derby to address Yates' future at end of season

John Eustace says Derby County will address Jerry Yates' future at the end of the season.

Yates has enjoyed a positive campaign having joined Derby on a year-long loan from Swansea last summer.

The striker is the Rams' leading scorer this season having netted eight times in 36 appearances.

As things stand, Yates will return to Swansea at the end of the season, as he is under contract at the Welsh club until at least 2026.

When asked whether he would like to keep Yates beyond the summer, Derby boss Eustace said: "I think Jerry has done very well - that is something we will discuss at the end of the year."

Yates is thought to be one of the higher earners at Swansea having joined from Blackpool in a deal worth about £3m in 2023.

What comes next for the former Rotherham United player is likely to depend to some extent on who is in charge at Swansea, with caretaker boss Alan Sheehan only in place - for the moment at least - for the remainder of this campaign.

Yates was ineligible to feature as Sheehan's Swansea beat Derby 1-0 on Saturday.

When asked whether Yates' absence had been a factor in Derby's first defeat in five games, Eustace added: "Jerry's been great.

"He scored on Wednesday [against Preston] but [Kayden] Jackson came in and did well, he worked his socks off as the rest of the group did."