Derby County are in front seat to sign ‘exceptional’ £8M Veteran ‘proper defende’ as Skysports Update drops
Derby battle Sheffield Wednesday to sign defender with over 300 EFL games
Derby County have “made enquiries” for a free agent defender but face plenty of competition for his signature, according to a new update from journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Another important summer for Derby
The Rams consolidated their place in the Championship in 2024/25, finishing 19th in the table and ensuring they didn’t return to League One. Derby manager John Eustace will be well aware of the importance of kicking on again next term, however, making new signings amid his promise to try and get his side back into the Premier League in the coming years.
“I wasn’t here for the next two months, I was here for the next three or four years. So whatever would have happened, would have happened. I was very aware of the situation leaving a great football club in Blackburn to come here.
“It was my choice to do it and if we had been relegated I wanted to be part of trying to build this football club to where it should be. And over the next three, four or five years we want to be challenging to get into the Premier League.”
Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon has been linked with a move to Derby in recent days, being seen as an option to strengthen Eustace’s squad, with Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers also thought to be eyeing him up.
Derby pushing to sign “proper defender”
According to O’Rourke on X, Derby have “made enquiries” to sign former Bolton Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos on a free transfer, with Sheffield Wednesday also among those interested.
The 6 foot 5 Santos could be an astute signing by Derby, now possessing a huge amount of experience in the EFL, making a total of 302 appearances in League One and League Two combined, not to mention making an additional five outings in the League One playoffs.
The fact that the 29-year-old would be joining the Rams on a free transfer takes out plenty of risk, and if the move ends up not working out, it won’t be a major issue. There is no reason why it shouldn’t, however, with Santos a competent centre-back who has been hailed by Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony in the past.
“He had concentration issues when he was with us, but fair play to him he dropped down to Barnet to rebuild his game and now Bolton have picked him up and he’s become the best centre-back in League One. He’s a proper defender. He wins his headers and clears his lines. It just goes to show you should never write off youngsters too early.”
At 29, Santos is still far from an old player, so there is no reason why he can’t be a strong squad option for Derby for the next several years, assuming they pip others to his signature.
