Derby County's intriguing £9m summer transfer window predicted with Southampton and Liverpool deals

It has been a mixed season so far for Paul Warne and Derby County.

After suffering an opening day defeat at Blackburn Rovers, the Rams bounced back with a Carabao Cup win over Chesterfield and a first league win of the season as Middlesbrough were seen off at Pride Park. However, there was a second league defeat in three games on Saturday when an Ebou Adams goal was not enough to claim anything from the visit to Watford.

Warne has already added a whole host of new faces to his squad throughout the summer and time is running out if the Rams want to conduct any further business before the deadline at 11pm on Friday night. We wondered what Warne could look to do over the coming days - so we fired up Football Manager 2024, updated his squad to its present form and allowed the world’s most popular managerial simulation to predict what incomings and outgoings could come to pass before the deadline.

Goalkeepers

There were no new arrivals in the goalkeeping ranks - but that is no surprise after Warne completed the signings of Swedish stopper Jacob Zetterstrom from Djurgarden and former England youth international Rohan Luthra from Championship rivals Cardiff City.

Warne’s goalkeeping options: Zetterstrom, Vickers, Luthra.

Defenders

There was just one defensive deal concluded in the final week of the window and it proved to be an outgoing as Max Elder joined Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers on a season-long loan deal.

Warne’s defensive options: Cashin, Nelson, Bradley, Rooney, Forsyth, Nyambe, Wilson.

Midfielders

There were no departures from the midfield options but there was one eye-catching arrival. Just over seven years have passed since Will Hughes left Pride Park to join Watford - but he is a Ram once again after he agreed to return in a £2m deal from Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Warne’s midfield options: Ozoh, Thompson, Goudmijn, Osborn, Adams, Ward, Hughes.

Forwards

Warne allowed two members of his attacking ranks to depart in the final week of the window. Young striker Dajaune Brown was given a chance to build on his impressive loan stint at Gateshead when he joined Cheltenham Town on a season-long loan and Tom Barkhuizen moved to South African club Cape Town City in a £75k deal. There were three new arrivals at the top end of the pitch as Tom Bradshaw was captured from Millwall in a £1.5m move and Premier League youngsters Kaide Gordon and Tyler Dibling arrived from Liverpool and Southampton respectively.

Warne’s forward options: Blackett-Taylor, Mendez-Laing, Yates, Jackson, Washington, Collins, Bradshaw, Dibling, Gordon.

Ins

Zetterstrom (£1.2m from Djurgarden), Adams (£800k from Cardiff City), Goudmijn (£600k from AZ Alkmaar), Osborn (free from Sheffield United), Blackett-Taylor (free from Charlton Athletic), Jackson (free from Ipswich Town), Luthra (free from Cardiff City), Yates (loan from Swansea City), Ozoh (loan from Crystal Palace), Bradshaw (£1.5m from Millwall), Bryan (£2m from Millwall), Dibling (loan from Southampton), Gordon (loan from Liverpool), Hughes (£2m from Crystal Palace)

Outs

Sibley (free to Oxford United), Wildsmith (free to West Bromwich Albion), Smith (free to Cambridge United), Hourihane (free to Barnsley), Fornah (loan to Salford City), Robinson (loan to Hartlepool United), Gayle, Waghorn (both released), Elder (loan to Western Sydney Wanderers), Brown (loan to Cheltenham Town), Barkhuizen (£75k to Cape Town City)