Sheffield Wednesday's departing goalkeeper 'high on the list' of Derby County transfer targets

Derby County are interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, according to reports.

Wildsmith will become a free agent on July 1 after he rejected a one-year contract extension proposed by the Owls. The 26-year-old made only three league appearances for Wednesday last term and registered just 63 appearances across six seasons in the Championship.

Derby are still awaiting clearance from the EFL on whether they will be able to make transfers and how much they can spend, but Wildsmith is “high on the list” of transfer targets, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

The Rams have already lost two goalkeepers this summer, with Ryan Allsop and Kelle Roose joining Cardiff City and Aberdeen respectively on free transfers. Wildsmith is one of six players coming to the end of their contracts at Wednesday. Massimo Luongo and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing both rejected new contracts at Hillsborough, while Chey Dunkley, Sam Hutchinson and Saido Berahino have been released.

Dunkley’s switch to Shrewsbury Town was confirmed on Tuesday, while Mendez-Laing has attracted interest from a host of Championship clubs, including Wigan Athletic.