Derby County know that the next few months will dictate whether they are staring another relegation battle in the face, or if they can push on to brighter things in the next few years.
John Eustace has already made his first move in the summer transfer window, as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing departed for MK Dons – where he has reunited with former Rams boss Paul Warne, who was sacked in February.
The turnaround that the club have been on since Eustace joined from Blackburn Rovers has been evident, but the East Midlands outfit must now push on and getting the right people in is a priority for the 45-year-old after his team survived on the final day of the season in the Championship.
With Andreas Weimann already a target for Derby, a name that has been linked with the club in the past is rearing its head once again, but this time they are in an excellent position to seal a deal.
Derby County must push for Louie Barry this summer, John Eustace would be an excellent mentor
In the winter transfer window, Derby County were one of several Championship sides to register their interest in Louie Barry, as per Darren Witcoop.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The currently managerless Hull City eventually won the race for the winger, who had an incredible first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County in League One. However, a season-ending injury saw the 21-year-old’s Tigers career barely even start.
Yet a new report from GiveMeSport has revealed that Aston Villa are willing to send Barry back out on loan this season, and Derby must be at the front of the queue to secure his signature.
Harrison Armstrong proved that Eustace has the ability to develop young players, after an extraordinary loan spell with the Rams in 2024/25, and the Villa attacker would benefit greatly from his guidance going forward.
Appearances (Starts) 23 (22)
Minutes Played 1799
Goals (Assists) 15 (3)
xG 9.49
Shots (On Target) 71 (36)
Dribbles Completed 54
Pass Accuracy 80.6%
Touches (In Opposition Box) 810 (114)
Louie Barry Stockport County stats 2024/25 – (FotMob)
Derby need creative freedom after a year in which the majority of their attacking threat came from set-pieces, and Barry has the talent to pick the ball up and carry it forward into dangerous positions – something that last season’s 19th place Championship side lacked.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s departure leaves ample room for Louie Barry
The Rams are set for a busy summer, and with the transfer window opening soon, supporters will be hoping for work to be done quickly as in the last few years they have missed out on targets due to negotiations taking longer than originally was hoped for.
But with Mendez-Laing’s move coming about so quickly, it shows that Eustace is not willing to rest on his laurels and deals may be done sooner rather than later to ensure that he has enough new faces ahead of a busy pre-season.
The departure of the winger leaves space for Barry on that left flank, a position that he made his own for Stockport in the last couple of years. Investment is still needed at Pride Park, but getting a loan deal of this calibre will prove just how far Derby have come in the space of four months.