Liam Rosenior reacts as senior Derby County player completes transfer move

The Derby County saga involving Nathan Byrne has finally come to an end, with the full-back joining MLS outfit Charlotte FC on a deal until the end of 2024.

Byrne, who picked up the Players’ Player of the Year award at Pride Park for the 2021-22 season, was initially thought to be staying following the club’s relegation to League One as an option had been triggered in his contract to extend his deal until next summer.

However, just like fellow defender Lee Buchanan, Byrne sought to exit the Rams through the Transfer of Undertakings loophole, which occurs when the shares of a club changes hands, just like Derby’s did when David Clowes took them out of administration.

The 30-year-old didn’t take part in pre-season with Derby because of this, and his future has finally been resolved as he heads across the Atlantic Ocean to play for Charlotte, who sit seventh out of 14 teams in the Eastern Conference of the MLS.

Byrne will link up with ex-County winger Kamil Jozwiak in North Carolina, and crucially Charlotte have paid a fee for his services – interim Derby manager Liam Rosenior has commented on the experienced full-back’s exit from the club.

“There’s no-one indispensable to this football club,” Rosenior told BBC Sport Derby.

So, for Nathan – loved working with him, great lad, there are things that may have happened in the past that he maybe regrets and I might regret, but I absolutely love him to bits and I wish him all the very best.”

The Verdict

It’s safe to say that Byrne could have handled the situation a lot better than he did.

There was probably no need to try and get out of his contract with the Rams, but it showed his desire to leave and Liam Rosenior does not need any individuals who aren’t committed to the club in