Derby County player departure confirmed

Former Derby County forward Omari Kellyman has confirmed that he has left the Championship side to link up with Premier League club Aston Villa, taking to Instagram to say his farewell amid uncertainty over his future.

In the early stages of last month, it was revealed that the Rams had come to an agreement with the top-tier outfit regarding the 16-year-old, who appeared on the bench once for Wayne Rooney’s men last term.

His inclusion in the matchday squad against AFC Bournemouth back in September came despite Sam Baldock and Colin Kazim-Richards’ availability, a ringing endorsement of his development in the East Midlands.

His time at the second-tier side looked to have come to an end when the two deals had agreed a deal for the Northern Irishman, an agreement that was reported back in February.

At that point though, this deal had not been finalised and there was a considerable period of silence regarding his future, with many Derby fans desperate to keep hold of him after seeing fellow bright prospects in Luke Plange and Dylan Williams secure moves away during the January transfer window, with the Rams needing as much cash as possible as they remain in administration.

The Sun’s Alan Nixon reported last Saturday that the deal had indeed been finalised – and official confirmation from Kellyman has now come as he took to Instagram to thank his former side for their role in his development.

He said: “After a weird few weeks, I can finally say a proper farewell to Derby County. Unfortunately, my time at the club has come to an end but the game takes you where you have to go.

“First of all, I would like to thank all of the players and staff that have helped me along my journey so far over the past 10 years.

“I am grateful