Derby County’s summer transfer window was widely regarded as a huge success, owing to 13 signings and more than £13m spent on transfer fees.
Throughout an impressive window, there were some high-calibre additions, chief among them being Patrick Agyemang’s £5.9m move from MLS side Charlotte FC.
A deal worth £3.5m was struck for Max Johnston from Sturm Graz, while a move for Lewis Travis of Blackburn Rovers was also a seven-figure move.
Derby have invested in the present and the future, and according to the figures, the difference in squad value is stark compared to last season.
According to Transfrmarkt, a website used by high-profile clubs in Europe, Derby’s summer spending has increased its squad worth by 124 per cent.
Derby went into last season with Eiran Cashin as the highest-valued player, at around £8m, although he eventually went to Brighton for a sum north of that figure.
Taking into account the loan signings of Nat Phillips and company, Derby’s squad was valued at around £19m.
But the comparison to the squad that has gone into battle in the Championship this term has not just significantly increased in fiscal terms, but is also reflected in the standard of players on the pitch.
Transfermarkt now estimate Derby’s squad to be valued at around £43m, which, as it did last season, also takes into account loan signings.
Ben Brereton Diaz, who moved from Southampton, is the highest-valued player at £6.5m, followed by Morris at £4.7m. However, Derby paid far less than that figure for Morris, given that he was in the last year of his contract at Luton.
The likes of Bobby Clark, Patrick Agyemang, Lewis Travis, Rhian Brewster, Sondre Langas, Max Johnston, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, Matt Clarke, Dion Sanderson and Owen Beck are also rated as players who would fetch seven-figure fees.
In comparison to last season, Derby went into the campaign with just five players who would likely fetch a fee of £1m or more. Cashin and £3m-rated Nat Phillips, who was on loan from Liverpool, were their biggest assets.
Derby’s excellent work in the transfer market means they are in the top three in terms of increasing squad value on the back of their business, with only Birmingham City and Wrexham above them.
Wrexham spent an astonishing £30m during this window, which has seen their squad value rocket by 451 per cent, while Birmingham’s has risen by 133 per cent.
There were clubs in the Championship who saw their squad value decrease, most notably Sheffield Wednesday, due to an uncertain summer and a number of departures.
Blackburn Rovers, who sold the likes of Callum Brittain, Dom Hyam and Travis, also saw their squad value decrease by 27.2 per cent as their squad value dropped from £43m to £32m.
How this plays out in terms of the league table remains to be seen, but as far as Derby are concerned, it’s proof that the calibre of additions, owed to David Clowes’ backing, has been significant.
