Yahoo News Striker found, problem solved - Derby County's dream transfer deadline day
So here we are, the final day of the window is upon us as Derby County chase the final deals they hope can help boost their chances of surviving the Championship this season.
With Sky Sports almost treating it like a Bank Holiday, clubs up and down the country will scramble to get deals done amid tales of deals falling through and surprise moves being made.
Derby's own objective is to finalise the moves that they have been targeting in what is a race against time to get them across the line. With that being said what does Derby's dream end to the window look like? Derby writer Leigh Curtis takes a look.
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Bagging a striker
Derby's chase for a centre forward feels like a long-running saga and when Gary Rowett said in his column last week that he had spent six windows looking for one at Millwall, and still to no avail, you realise just how difficult it is to sign one.
The club has long been craving a striker who will be here for the long term, but those forwards do not grow on trees and if they are any good, they don't come cheap either. Derby's recruitment team will therefore have to box clever on what will be a day that will no doubt have its fair share of twists and turns.
But if you're asking what the dream scenario would be then the answer to that question is a simple one. It would be adding a striker of decent pedigree, who is better than what they have already in the building.
Premier League loans are being considered and there are players who could well be available such as Ali Al-Hamadi, the forward at Ipswich Town. Elsewhere you are looking at potentially a young Premier League loan who is maybe on his second loan or another forward at Championship club that is not getting much game time.
Either way, ending the day with that striker in the bank would be greeted with a great deal of relief by head coach Paul Warne and the fans.
Centre-back problem solved
Warne has already admitted that he is on the lookout for a new centre-back and the head injury to Eiran Cashin showed perhaps how there is still a need for one. While Cashin is expected to be fit to face Bristol City on Saturday, it did just leave Sonny Bradley and Curtis Nelson as the club's only genuine options at centre-back.
If either of those had picked up an injury while Cashin was going through concussion protocol, then it would have led to square pegs in round holes. As Warne said yesterday, you might get away with that in League One but not the Championship.
So what are Derby looking for? A centre-back with pace for a start and one who is comfortable in possession. That would be an absolute dream for Warne because, in fairness, in terms of physicality and aerial prowess, the defence is very strong.
Cashin is by far and away their best defender when it comes to possession and passing range, helped by the fact he learned his trade as a midfielder. But Derby could do with another one and you have to think there is another Fiyako Tomori out there somewhere.
