Derby County

Derby County captain Ebou Adams believes the Rams "will make a statement" during their upcoming Championship campaign.

Derby lost three successive games when boss John Eustace joined from Blackburn Rovers in February but went on to have a much stronger end to the season, losing just two of their next 11 games. It is the kind of form Adams intends to continue into August and beyond.

"I think we will make a statement this season," Adams told BBC Radio Derby.

"I say this all the time, there's no point in playing football if you're not going to have that belief.

"You're allowed to dream and dreams do come true so I'll play with loads of hope, loads of belief. We've got the backings from the gaffer, the players, the fans so I'll be looking forward to it."

Adams is also hoping to "better his stats" in the upcoming season and to do so, he's been putting in the work during pre-season.

The midfielder added: "No one really likes the running part of it but you've got to get it done.

"To play, you have to be fit and what I've seen so far in terms of pre-season is that everyone has been up and at it."

Listen to the full interview with Ebou Adams and more on BBC Sounds.

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic says he has no interest in letting defender Cody Drameh, 23, go this summer despite interest from Derby County and Preston North End. (Hull Daily Mail), external

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Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport, East Midlands at Moor Farm

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool left-back Owen Beck is close to completing a loan move to Derby County.

The 22-year-old Welshman spent last season on loan in the Championship with Blackburn, where he played under now Rams boss John Eustace.

The Derby head coach has already been reunited with two former Rovers players during the summer transfer window, having signed midfielder Andreas Weimann and centre-back Danny Batth.

Eustace was asked about the Beck link during a media day at Derby's Moor Farm training base on Thursday and, while shy on giving any details about the Rams' pursuit of the player, he was glowing in his appraisal of the former Wales Under-21 international.

"He is a really exciting young player," he told BBC Radio Derby.

"I was very fortunate to work with him last year and everyone could see the growth he made playing in the Championship.

"He is a super, young, talented player and one of the most exciting full-backs in the country for his age at the moment."

Derby County defender Sondre Langas has revealed he was playing through the pain barrier at the back end of last season.

The 24-year-old Norway international became a mainstay in John Eustace's side during the second half of the campaign following his January move from Viking.

But he will miss the start of the upcoming campaign while he recovers from knee surgery after starting all seven of Derby's final matches of the season as they secured their Championship status.

"It was really, really painful - it's hard to tell [describe] how painful," Langas told BBC Radio Derby.

"The gaffer was really good and told me I have to be honest with him if something was wrong.

"It was tough because I was on a lot of painkillers but I didn't use them during training so training was the worst."

Listen to the full interview and more on Derby County on BBC Sounds.

Derby County midfielder Liam Thompson said boss John Eustace played a big role in his decision to sign a new contract with the Championship club.

The 23-year-old agreed a new two-year deal to stay at Pride Park this summer.

"It was always going to be my main aim to stay here - especially under the gaffer," Thompson told BBC Radio Derby.

"I can see myself developing and that's a very important thing for me now at this stage of my career. I feel like I need to kick on and take another step in the right direction."

Thompson added that Eustace's background playing in the same position and subsequent advice has helped him progress as a footballer, something he is keen to do more of under the head coach's guidance.

"[Eustace has] been huge. He's obviously played as a midfielder in his career, so I'm always taking information from him on the pitch, and he's always talking to you and helping you.

"There's a different side of it, a different twist on it, and it's good. I can really see myself improving and you can see the difference already.

"The gaffer has been a massive influence on me here. 100%."

Listen to the full interview with Liam Thompson and more on BBC Sounds.

Derby County have reportedly met the £3m asking price for Blackburn defender Callum Brittain, 27, after the Englishman rejected a new contract at Ewood Park. Rams boss John Eustace managed Brittain at Rovers last season. (EFL Analysis), external

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Derby County hope to bring in Welsh left-back Owen Beck, 22, on loan from Liverpool, reuniting him with Rams boss John Eustace, who managed him at Blackburn last season. (John Percy, external)

Coventry City, Derby County and Oxford United are interested in 32-year-old German defender Patrick Bauer, formerly of Preston North End. (SportsBoom, external)

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Is new Derby County signing Patrick Agyemang worth his high price tag?

The USA international has made the move to England from Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC for £7.3m on Tuesday.

The fee has raised a few eyebrows, but Charlotte FC commentator Will Palaszczuk says the 24-year-old could well be worth his fee.

"I understand that some folks may have some reticence about somebody who only has 17, 18 professional goals to his name at this time through three seasons," Palaszczuk told BBC Radio Derby.

"The productivity number isn't necessarily at the height you would expect somebody that you're spending that much money for.

"You're buying on potential definitely but I think the potential is definitely there."

Goalscoring is not the only thing the American may be able to bring to the Rams.

Palaszczuk also expects the "statuesque target striker" to become a handful for Championship defenders.

"He's very, very good on the ball, he's great at running in behind - those are his best attributes," the commentator added.

"The one thing that Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith has said about him is that he is a load of a problem to play against.

"There's not a defender, whether it's in [the MLS], in CONCACAF, in the international stage that looks at him and thinks 'I'm going to have an easy day'. That's what he brings to the table."

Image source, Getty Images

New Rams forward Patrick Agyemang can live up to his hefty price tag, according to someone who knows him better than most.

The 24-year-old USA international signed from MLS side Charlotte FC earlier this week for a fee which could rise to £7.3m.

Agyemang scored 17 goals in 59 MLS regular-season appearances for Charlotte after they recruited him from the University of Rhode Island as the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft.

He scored on his international debut after being called up by USA boss Mauricio Pochettino in January and has netted a further five goals in 12 appearances for his country.

Andy Quy, a former goalkeeper who was on the books at Derby in the mid-90s and later coached in the Rams academy, was part of the coaching set-up at Charlotte FC from October 2021 to November 2023.

The 48-year-old told BBC Radio Derby: "We took Patrick out of college in 2023. He was very raw but we could certainly see the potential.

"He always produced something special when he came on the pitch and caused the opposition problems.

"He's a big guy, those arms and elbows move around a lot and he holds people off well. He's going to find the physicality of the league something he needs to adapt to.

"The intensity of the games will be different and the number of games he'll have to deal with over the season will make a difference but he's certainly robust enough and fit enough and a good enough athlete to be able to deal with that."

Quy admitted Agyemang's rise had possibly come quicker than he had expected.

"When he first came in he talked about what his goals were and that was to play in Europe and play in the US national team and those things have come around for him really quickly.

"He's settled into those things, he's heading in the right direction, he's got the move he wanted, there's a good sized price tag on it but he's certainly got the shoulders to stand up to that."

Stoke, Derby and Wrexham are among the clubs interested in former Hull City defender John Egan, 32. (Pete O'Rourke, external)

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Image source, Rex Features

Derby County are to install a 'Walk of Fame' at Pride Park, recognising the efforts of former players and managers.

The attraction will be developed on the outside wall of the East Stand next to the turnstiles and gradually be extended to the North Stand, with individuals added each year.

Brian Clough, Peter Taylor, Steve Bloomer, Lionel Pickering, Reg Harrison, Roy McFarland, Dave Mackay, Gordon Guthrie and Igor Stimac will automatically be inducted as they are already recognised around the stadium.

Supporters are being invited to nominate other names, external to be inducted during the first phase of the project, with nominations closing on Sunday, 20 July.

The installation will take place ahead of Derby's first home Championship match of the season against Coventry on 16 August.

Derby chief executive, Stephen Pearce, said: "We have been talking internally for some time about this phase of the heritage project.

"We wanted to have it in a location that our fans could access easily and we have also been keen to make sure supporters have input into names being added to the 'Walk of Fame'.

"While there are some that automatically stand out, we felt it was important to let the fanbase nominate some of the individuals that they want taking pride of place on there."

Derby are keen on signing Ipswich midfielder Sam Morsy, but face competition for the 33-year-old Town skipper. (Alan Nixon, external)

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Derby County boss John Eustace is interested in a reunion with Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson, 25. The Englishman played for the Rams head coach while on loan with Blackburn Rovers last season. (Birmingham World), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

"It's a story that has gone on for quite some time now. This is no small fee and Derby County haven't paid a fee like that in a long time.

"I'm not sure Derby County will be comfortable with a £6m signing playing in an MLS All-Star game with the potential of injuries."

BBC Radio Derby's Dave Fletcher and Dominic Dietrich discuss the latest on the Rams' transfer target Patrick Agyemang and catch up with new signing Carlton Morris during pre-season training following his arrival from Luton Town.

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

Charlton Athletic and Derby County are in a race to sign Fulham and Wales under-21 midfielder Luke Harris after the 20-year-old caught the eye during his loan spell with League One champions Birmingham City last season. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Out-of-contract Blackburn striker Tyrhys Dolan is attracting interest from clubs in Greece and Turkey, as well as Bristol City, Derby and Middlesbrough. (Alan Nixon, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport understands Derby County have agreed a fee to sign United States international striker Patrick Agyemang from Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC.

The fee for the 24-year-old is believed to be in the region of £5m, which could rise to £6.5m with add-ons.

It is believed Agyemang has not agreed personal terms with the Rams yet or undergone a medical.

He is preparing for the United States' CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico on Sunday in Houston.

He has scored twice during the tournament so far and has scored five goals in 11 games in total for the national team since making his debut in January.