As we approach the final weeks of the season, teams like Derby County, sat in the relegation zone, will be weighing up who they might have to do without if the worst happens.
A drop to League One would undoubtedly lead to some of their key players leaving in search of Championship football, and the Rams may be forced into sales to cut their cloth accordingly.
We asked our Derby Fan Pundit, Shaun, who he thinks could depart under those circumstances.
Despite succumbing to short-term injuries on a couple of occasions this campaign, Shaun is fearful that Kane Wilson may be on his way out the door.
Kane Wilson would be a key man to lose
Speaking to Football League World, Shaun said: “I think the one player that will be leaving in the club in the summer will be Kane Wilson, especially if we do go down to the League One. He’s far too good for that level of football.
“He showed on Saturday how much we have missed him. He’s the only player in our team that can actually beat a man, take a man on and be positive and we’ve really missed that.
“He makes other teams sit five yards deeper, which gives our team a little bit more space and time on the ball. He’s imperative to everything we want to do, in a good way
“So, I think the fact his contract is up, we haven’t tied him down to a new deal, that really worries me, so I do think he’ll be going.
“And we will miss him more than probably any other player, I would say.”
There are few plus points in Derby County losing Kane Wilson
As Shaun alludes to, it would be a shame to see Wilson depart, but the combination of his personal situation and Derby’s current league position make it all too likely.
The Rams signed Wilson from Bristol City in 2023, paying an undisclosed fee and signing him to a two-year deal.
He had spent much of the previous season with the Robins injured, so it can be noted down as something of a shrewd something given that he made 41 League One appearances on the way to Derby achieving promotion to the Championship, providing five goal involvements from the right side in that time.
But, now 25 years old, Wilson is unlikely to want to make that same drop again, especially given the levels he’s shown for Derby this season.
The two-year deal he signed in 2023 will expire this summer, meaning he is free to weigh up his options – and he’ll likely be an attractive proposition for many clubs, especially given they won’t need to fork out a transfer fee for him.
Shaun’s recognition of his dribbling ability is backed up by the stats – no Derby player is anywhere near bettering his 2.0 successful dribbles per 90.
And that is certainly a problem area for the Rams, as identified by Shaun, given that centre-back Eiran Cashin makes it to sixth in that list.
Derby will certainly miss Wilson but, sadly, they hold few cards in terms of convincing him to stay beyond the summer.
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