Deal in place for Chris Wood to join Rams on loan
DERBY County say they have an agreement in place to sign West Bromwich Albion striker Chris Wood on loan.
The Rams were on the verge of landing the 18-year-old New Zealand international before the transfer window closed on Tuesday but injuries to other West Brom forwards held up the deal.
Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller picked up injuries and Wood found himself on the bench for Sunday's Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield.
Wood could be available once the window for emergency loans opens next week, if West Brom's injuries have cleared up.
"We are looking to go straight back into the loan market when it opens again," said manager Nigel Clough.
"We were very close to getting somebody in on loan. We had agreed the move and we will revisit that one. We will also chase up a few other inquiries once the window opens.
"We got quite a way down the road with West Brom and with Chris (Wood) as well – and we hope that as soon as West Brom's injuries clear up, we will be able to get him in.
"I think he fits the mould of the younger players we have. He is inexperienced but he has played international football.
"It is a pattern we are trying to follow of young, hungrier players.
"We will get frustrating times like Saturday when we were two up against Queens Park Rangers and when more experienced players might have seen the game out but the only way to get that experience is by going through it."
Derby have brought in Spanish forward Alberto Bueno on a season-long loan from Real Valladolid, while Rob Hulse, who was in the final year of his contract at Pride Park, is set to complete a move to QPR.
Clough felt the Hulse deal was right for Derby.
"Rob has got us goals in the last 18 months, and some very important ones as well, we cannot deny that," said Clough. "But we have to look at the overall deal for the club and ask if it is the right deal – and we felt it was at this stage.
"We will only do deals we think are right for the club. Rob had nine months left on his contract and it was unlikely we would have been able to agree a new deal with him, hence the outcome."
Clough would like a new face in before the Rams return to action against Sheffield United on September 11.
"By adding Bueno and with Chris Porter getting fit now, the pressure is off a little bit but we just need may be another one in," said Clough.
"Ideally, we would like somebody else in before our next game but they have to be right and somebody we want to put in the team.
"They have to be better than what we have got. And this isn't a daft thing to say but they have to be better than Dean Moxey.
"His two performances up front – we wouldn't play him there for 40 games – have been exceptionally good.
"The last thing we want is to bring somebody in, maybe from the Premiership, who doesn't give it that because we would then be worse off.
"Dean has played one-and-a-half games up front, he has scored one goal and been an absolute nuisance.
"We will follow up on calls. We are a big club, getting 25,000 crowds and playing a type of football a lot of Premiership managers will want their young players to come into, which is important as well.
"Bueno, I would say, wasn't even 50-50 about signing before he came to the game Saturday. He just came over to have a look but he watched the second half and loved the atmosphere, loved the game, loved Pride Park and said: 'I want to play here'.
"It is that sort of character we want to bring in."
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by Wedjateye, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 8:53PM
“All this talk is just so much (albeit passionate) talk.
Fans are just going to have to adjust to life in the slow and frustrating lane. That's all there is now.
The supporters are fantastic - which other club would get 25k bums on seats with so little in return?
I'm just so glad I lived through the glory years. The downside is it will never be good enough again.”
by Stephen, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 5:52PM
“kev............How many goals has Earnshaw scored in the Championship?...........150? ......you're way off with that figure my friend.”
by Stephen, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 5:42PM
“G STAR RAM, burtonftw even says it might be a rumour so it really has no basis in fact. In other words it is nothing but pure misinformation designed to fuel the fire of dissent against GSE.”
by G STAR RAM, DCFC
Thursday, September 02 2010, 5:13PM
“Very intelligent and mature debating there Kev. Still waiting to find out who is going to replace GSE though.
Gemma you are spot on about results but now NC has got us playing football and has his own team, do you not think it is worth giving him another season and seeing how it turns out? Otherwise we are back to square one.
Burtonftw, who has said GSE are taking loads of money out? Think it is vital you reveal your source as this points everything in a different light”
by Moot, Derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:42PM
“Errrrr, Dimitri who has suggested going out and signing Claude Davies, Ravanelli, Grenet, Miller, Earnshaw?????
You criticise the moaners but I think you are going a little over the top yourself.
Again we have people who try to build up a bizarre stereotype that anyone who looks at the club with a critical eye wants the club to blow £50 million in the next transfer window which clearly not true.
In your own way you are as bad as a moaner as it's just another knee jerk reaction.”
by gemma, derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:38PM
“Nigel clough's record since taking over as manager of derby county read's. 25 win's, 19 draw's, 36 loses. hmmmm. so in 80 game's he's won 25 matches and lost 36. not what i would call great going really, so we can expect around 12 win's this season going by his win average. yay 12 wins and the way we defend we will be lucky to get 12 wins. sorry G STAR but like kev said, the facts don't lie my friend. and the facts are he's been here over 2 years and loses way more than we win, sorry but they are cold hard facts.”
by kev, derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:28PM
“earnshaw rubbish? he was never given a chance and went to forest and scores 15 20 a season for the red dogs and has scored over 150 goals in the championship yeah he's rubbish isn't he? 1 win in 5 3 loses and still people say clough is doing a great job. even if clough lost the first 5 games g star and the clough bum boys would still be saying he's doing a good job, give him time, we are playing good football, blah blah blah. does clough let your in the changing room before games to give him a good seeing to g star? because your that far up the guys bum it's unreal. he's a non league manager and it show's just face facts, results speak for them self g start, results are facts, you like facts don't you? well the facts say we loss more than we win and we have been like that since you pal nigel became manager FACT. go on blame every other manager bar nigel clough which i know you will. it's billy davies fault, its paul jewells fault, anybodies but nigel's blah blah blah.”
by burtonftw, derby
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:22PM
“i think that very soon we'll go down. i have heard (perhaps rumour) that GSE are now (or have been for a while) withdrawing money from the club, far past reasonable amounts.
they may have stated that the long term aim is to sell the club, but economic conditions are deteriorating and this looks not be be an option of at least the next 5, maybe 10 or even 20 odd years.
so it appears that they may be milking the club for all it's worth, hoping and gambling that it'll contine to finish in at least 21st.
if we go down, then i don't think it'll be long before GSE get out and Derby County enters administration.
seems to me we're entering the period now of cutting as little losses as possible.
and by default, if you follow a club, you're a mug, a cash cow - myself included! :(”
by Dimitri, Leicester
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:03PM
“For heavens sake I canty even be bothered to read half of the moaners letters anymore. Throwing money around isnt going to suddenly propel us up rthe table we need to stabilise. Would you rather we went out and signed Claude Davies, Ravanelli, Grenet, Miller, Earnshaw the list could go on! These players were rubbish and on large salaries we end up paying to get rid of em, great isnt it? As for comparing football to a hairdressers, get in t real world me duck.”
by G STAR RAM, DCFC
Thursday, September 02 2010, 3:52PM
“And also Gemma, just to clarify, I never said people are not unhappy. I am fully aware that there would people out there unhappy of we had just won the Premier League and the Champions League! Was just saying that the moaners do not speak for the majority because if they did the crowds would be 5,000 with 20,000 sat at home not the other way around.”