Wayne Rooney addresses situation around player futures at Derby County

Derby County were able to make their way out of the January transfer window without too many major outgoings.

The losses of Graeme Shinnie and Phil Jagielka were tough to take and will go on to harm their battle against relegation in the long run, however the likes of Jason Knight, Tom Lawrence, Max Bird and Festy Ebosele stayed put and remain committed to the cause.

Wayne Rooney seemed confident that the club will be able to hold onto their best players in the summer, despite uncertainty over what league they will be playing in, if the off-pitch problems are solved sooner rather than later.

Rooney gave his take on the situation when he spoke to DerbyshireLive.

He said: “Every player wants to stay, and that is the biggest compliment for the staff, myself, the coaches.

“Every player wants to stay.

“These are all reasons why I keep saying it (the club’s future) needs sorting out because the longer it goes on the more difficult it becomes, and the longer it goes on the more difficult it is going to be to keep hold of players.”

It is becoming very nervy again and some disappointing results on the pitch will have supporters feeling more anxious and concerned than ever before.

There could be many more developments in the Derby County boardroom between now and the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

The Verdict

Rooney’s tone is certainly more reassuring than anything else in this interview, his commitment to the club beyond the end of this season will be music to Derby supporters’ ears, however it is clear to see that frustration is creeping in for the former England captain.

With many key players’ contracts expiring in the summer, there will be a lot of work to do off the pitch for any new owner, even if the Rams achieve the