The Derby County wonderkids who could save David Clowes a fortune

Derby County signed 11 players over the summer but while they have been focusing on the present, they have not neglected their future with the plan to rebuild the academy in the aftermath of administration.

They have already invested in some top talent this summer with Ireland prospects Sean Corry and Freddie Turley joining in the summer and Alex Stepien-Iwumene arriving after leaving Southampton.

Slowly but surely, Derby are restocking an academy that was once considered one of the best in the country and is an integral part of David Clowes' plan for success. Here DerbyshireLive looks at some of the players who could save the club millions moving forward.

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Dajaune Brown

The striker enjoyed a remarkable loan spell at National League side Gateshead last season where he enjoyed a brilliant run of form.

He finished the campaign with an FA Trophy medal having played a pivotal role in their victory against Solihull Moors at Wembley. Not only did he score but he registered an assist and then struck the winning penalty in the shootout to seal a memorable triumph. Among the other highlights of his time in the north east was a 15-minute hat-trick against Peterborough Sports as Gateshead marched to the final.

In an exclusive interview with DerbyshireLive in the summer, Gateshead manager Rob Elliot was full of praise for the teenager who is already attracting interest from League Two clubs.

"I am sure whatever Derby decides it will be the best for Daj. If we had been promoted to League Two then we would have asked for him again," Elliot said. "But wherever he goes next whether that's back at Derby or on loan, he will always fit in well because he is quiet, respectful and works extremely hard.

"He has a lovely family who keep him grounded. They were travelling up and down to see him which was really nice and that's so important when you are on the journey he is on. You need people around you who can allow you to be yourself and protect you from things from the other side of football when you are a rising star and everybody wants a piece of you."

A number of League One and Two clubs were interested in him this summer, but Derby have kept him in the building and he has so far made three appearances, two of which have come from the substitutes' bench.

Cruz Allen

The exciting midfield prospect has already signed a professional contract and the 17-year-old had a taste of first-team football last season when he featured in the EFL Trophy. Reports last November claimed he was attracting the interest of some heavy hitters in the Premier League with Manchester United and Chelsea both linked.

But Derby have high hopes for Allen who has been part of the club's academy for several years and has progressed impressively through the ranks with the teenager earning youth international call-ups with Wales.

After Allen put pen to paper on a new contract, academy manager Matt Hale said: “Cruz has done really well in the Under-21s and also the Under-18s this year and we are keen to recognise players that have come through our pathway here at Derby County. He has a lot of talent and this is fully deserved; we wish him well.”

Tony Weston

The striker immediately hit the headlines in the 2023/24 season when he came off the bench against Wolves in the EFL Trophy and scored a wonderful goal while also grabbing an assist for James Collins. Some clubs were keen to take him on loan in January in non-league, but he opted to remain at the Rams.

Having moved from Rangers on a free transfer last summer, the forward has certainly caught the eye and also made an impression on Warne. After the game against Wolves, Warne said: "I like Tony, I've seen Tony play in an academy game which must have been about five or six weeks ago and he scored a hat-trick.

"I like athletic players. I like players who run. I like players who press, I like players who play like they're 13 at school. I like players who are fearless and Tony did really well when he came on. His energy was really good and he won the ball back for Collo to score and he scored a goal himself."

He signed a new contract in the summer and was then sent out on loan to National League side Boston United for the season and has so far made six appearances after a productive pre-season at the Pilgrims.

Keilen Robinson

Robinson signed his first professional contract earlier this year on a deal that will take him until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Robinson played for the under-18s and the under-21s during last season which saw him grace the Premier League 2 and the Central League. His form was impressive and that was enough to seal him a call-up to the England under-19 squad in March when he made his bow in a game against Morocco.

Derby head coach Paul Warne then handed Robinson a call-up to the first-team squad at the back end of last season. He was an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Blackpool and the thrilling 2-2 draw against Portsmouth in April.

Robinson has been on Derby's books since the under-12s and has progressed through the ranks. Now that he has signed professional terms, he will become a permanent member of the under-21s under Jake Buxton. The centre-back is highly thought of at Pride Park and certainly one to keep your eye on.

Lennon Wheeldon

Described as an old-fashioned centre forward, 18-year-old Wheeldon joined Derby from Notts County as an under-16s player. The striker immediately made an impact as he netted nine goals during the 2022/23 campaign including an impressive hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Liverpool Under-18s.

His form led Derby to offering him a professional contract in the summer with the club having high hopes for the talented striker. He helped secure the first victory of the Premier League 2 season with a strike in the 1-0 win over Newcastle United. He also found the target in a 3-2 defeat against Manchester City.

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