With reports that DCFC has sold Kris Commons to Celtic for a fee believed to be in the vicinity of £300, 000, RamZone columnist Stuart Hughes delivered his thoughts on the sale and what lays ahead.
In all honesty I can't say I blame Kris Commons for holding out for the best offer he can get. He's at the stage of his career now where he'll be approaching his peak so this may well be the last big contract he gets to sign as a professional footballer.
A move to Scotland, in all likelihood to Celtic, will improve his international chances and will also give him an opportunity to win trophies and medals. Let's be honest, it doesn't look like Derby County will be winning trophies any time soon and if no Premiership clubs are interested then the Scottish Premier League represents his next best option.
I don't think you can blame Derby County either. The football club were prepared to make him their highest paid player and you can't ask much more than that. Tom Glick also entered into contract negotiations in plenty of time but there's no unlimited cheque book so the board couldn't simply cave in and pay him what he was asking for.
Even with Commons, this squad needs strengthening further before the Rams can seriously challenge for promotion so it would be crazy to put all our eggs in Commons's basket. Make him your best offer, sure, but don't blow your whole salary budget on him ... particularly as Commons has struggled for form and fitness in the two seasons prior to this one and hasn't stood up and been counted during the recent poor run of form.
Yes he's a very good player, on his day a potential match winner, but he's not consistent and he’s not irreplaceable. Much better to sell him now, rather than get nothing for him at the end of the season.
Keeping Kris Commons, our top goal scorer by some distance, was manager Nigel Clough's top priority so it will be interesting to see what the club do now in the transfer window.
Ben Davies might be seen as the Commons replacement?
Or maybe it's an opportunity for Tomasz Cywka to step up and be counted?
There's no doubt that the Rams need to strengthen. Derby County need a goal scoring striker or a centre-forward who can lead the line and hold the ball up in the system we're playing this season. Nigel Clough is also targeting a central defender, a central midfielder and, in my opinion, we need a left-back too.
There definitely needs to be new players brought in this transfer window, players who can score goals, otherwise it's going to be a long second-half of the season.
Over to you General Sports Entertainment ...
Stuart Hughes is a local writer and Derby fan. You can read more of his written work on his website www.stuarthughes.webs.com