Sammie Szmodics, Derby County
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Derby County will be obliged to sign Sammie Szmodics permanently at the end of the season, after a clause in his loan deal was triggered in the early stages of the campaign.
The 31-year-old reunited with ex-Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace in January on an initial loan spell from Ipswich Town — the club he arrived at following his 27-goal Championship term with Rovers in 2023/24.
After playing a key role in the Rams' late play-off surge in the second half of the season, which fell agonisingly short on the final day, it seemed a no-brainer to bring him back to Pride Park for the ongoing campaign.
Szmodics arrived on a season-long loan, but that move will become permanent at the end of the campaign.
The details surrounding Sammie Szmodics' permanent move to Derby County
Sammie Szmodics
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According to Derbyshire Live, Szmodics has already triggered the appearance-based clause in the loan deal which brought him back to Derby just two months ago.
Having only played eight games so far this season, it's evident that only a season-ending injury would have stopped the 31-year-old from rejoining the Rams permanently.
The report states that John Eustace's side will pay an initial £2.7 million at the end of the season, but if Derby earn promotion to the Premier League this season, that price tag will increase to £5 million.
How much do you think Sammie Szmodics is worth? Let us know in the comments.
The Rams have been among those yet to get off the blocks so far this season, sitting inside the bottom three with just five points in eight games. If not for Mo Fuseni's late equaliser at Burnley in the final game before the international break, they'd have fallen to the foot of the table.
A lot will need to be done if Ipswich are to almost double their intake in Szmodics' sale, but regardless, the Irishman will be a Derby player permanently in the summer.
Sammie Szmodics has had a promising 2026 at Derby County
Sammie Szmodics
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Szmodics has plenty of expectations on his shoulders in the Championship, solely due to his incredible year at Blackburn a few seasons ago. He hasn't hit those scoring heights, but he's done well so far at Pride Park.
Three goals and an assist in 13 games in a Derby shirt last season have been followed up by two goals and an assist in seven this year, with one goal in the EFL Cup, too. For a Rams side that has struggled to create this year, it's not a terrible return for an attacking midfielder.
Sammie Szmodics' Derby County stats
Games
Goals
Assists
He'll likely never hit the same goalscoring levels as he did back in 2023/24, but given that was very much an anomaly campaign in comparison to his other Championship terms, anywhere between 10 and 15 goals this season will be a very good return for the 31-year-old.
You'd expect that, if he can remain fit, he'll be able to break into double digits ahead of his permanent move to Pride Park.
Derby County will be relying on Sammie Szmodics to help turn around their slow start
John Eustace
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Given how injury-ravaged the Derby squad has been so far this season, Szmodics has emerged as the main goal-getter in John Eustace's side at this moment in time; albeit Fuseni has looked promising in limited time on the field.
The Rams may have gotten out of that bottom-three clash with Burnley with a point, but that doesn't mask what has been a really difficult start to the season, and if more poor results follow after the international break, fingers will start to be pointed towards the dugout.
Kieffer Moore, Championship badge, Lyndon Dykes
Kieffer Moore, Championship badge, Lyndon Dykes
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John Eustace was desperate to bring Szmodics back to Pride Park in the summer, and the focus now is ensuring that he'll still be in a job to engineer the best out of the attacking midfielder as the campaign goes on.
Derby host Wrexham on Saturday as they search for their first league win of the campaign and a route out of the relegation zone.