Derby County haven’t been able to spend money recently, but in previous years, they have splashed the cash on many occasions.
Derby County had been in the Championship since 2008, the second longest serving club in the second tier of English football after rivals Nottingham Forest.
The money spent in previous years has proved to not be enough to get them out of the league, and now they find themselves in League One for the new season.
Here, we look at the club’s most expensive signings from between 2010 to 2020, and discuss what they’re up to today…
5. Martyn Waghorn
The striker joined the Rams at the start of the 2018/19 season from Ipswich Town for £5.04million, according to Transfermarkt.
In 123 appearances for the Midlands side, Waghorn netted 30 goals and assisted 13 before securing a move to Coventry City ahead of the 2021/22 season.
The 32-year-old has featured in 29 outings for the Sky Blues, scoring just once in what has been a disappointing individual season.
4. Tom Ince
Derby County signed Ince from Hull City in the 2015/16 season, with the fee reportedly being £6.03million.
The winger was arguably worth the money, netting 11 goals in his first season, 12 in the next and 14 in his final year. As a total, in 114 appearances, Ince netted 38 goals and provided 17 assists.
He now finds himself at Reading, managed by his dad Paul Ince, where he scored two goals in 15 appearances for the Royals.
3. Bradley Johnson
Johnson arrived at Pride Park in a deal worth £7.29million from Norwich City in the 2015/16 season in an anticipated transfer.
The midfielder was a fan favourite at the Rams, making 140 appearances in his four-year stay and reaching the play-offs on three occasions. But, the now 35-year-old joined Blackburn Rovers on a permanent deal in 2019, and has since made 86 appearances.
Johnson’s contract expires in the summer, meaning he is set to depart on a free transfer.
2. Krystian Bielik
The Polish international signed for Derby County in the summer of 2019 from Arsenal for a fee off £7.38million.
In his three-year stay, Bielik has racked up just 40 appearances due to picking up a serious injury halfway through last season’s campaign, which evidently damaged the Rams’ momentum.
This season, the 24-year-old made 15 appearances as he builds up his fitness, but it is unknown whether he will remain at the club for the new League One campaign.
1. Matej Vydra
Forward ace Vydra was the club’s record signing at £8.46million, joining at the start of the 2016/17 season from Watford.
The Czech Republic man netted 27 goals in 80 appearances for the Rams, with his best season coming in the 2017/18 campaign, where he netted a staggering 21 goals, setting up four.
Burnley then acquired the services of the now 30-year-old ahead of the 2018/19 season, since making 97 appearances and slowly becoming out of favour. His Clarets contract expires in the summer.
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