The 2024–25 season was Derby County's 126th season in the Football League and their 55th in the second tier of English football. It was their first season in the Championship since 2022 following their promotion as runners-up in League One in the previous campaign. They also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Review
Pre-season 1 July saw the start of pre-season for the 2024–25 campaign, with the players returning to training after the summer break. As 30 June had seen the final day of a number of players contracts, 1 July also saw the official departure of Dwight Gayle, Conor Hourihane, Scott Loach, Korey Smith, Martyn Waghorn, and Joe Wildsmith from the first team as had been announced via the release of the club's retained list six-weeks previously.
Louie Sibley joined Oxford United following his rejection of a new contract. Conversely, Corey Blackett-Taylor saw his loan deal from Charlton Athletic become a permanent deal, and Ben Osborn joined on a free from Sheffield United. The third and fourth signings of the summer followed the next day, with Kayden Jackson arriving on a free transfer following his release by Ipswich Town and Jerry Yates coming in on a season-long loan from Swansea City.
After this flurry, the next signing came a week later, with Dutch midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn joining from AZ Alkmaar; a week after that Gambian midfielder Ebou Adams, a popular loanee in the promotion campaign the previous season, signed on a permanent deal from Cardiff City. The midfield was further strengethed with the signing of Crystal Palace's David Ozoh.
August Derby's first Championship game in two years came on Friday 9 August with a trip to Ewood Park to play Blackburn Rovers. The match saw the full debuts of Kenzo Goudmijn, David Ozoh, Ben Osborn, and Kayden Jackson but ended in a 4–2 defeat despite the game being level at 1–1 with 20 minutes remaining. Paul Warne put the late collapse down to Blackburn's substitutes saying 'They changed it and brought on cheat codes all over the place. We looked a little bit leggy and it's my fault because I didn't make the subs quick enough.' Four days later, Derby earned their first win of the campaign with a 2–1 home victory over League Two Chesterfield in the EFL Cup 1st round, with Jackson scoring the winner with his first goal for the club on his home debut. Derby's first week back in the second tier ended with the announcement that the club has completed its protracted pursuit of Djurgårdens IF Sweden international goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be around £1.4m. A surprise outgoing was midfielder Tyrese Fornah who dropped two divisions to join League Two Salford City. Warne said of the move 'I want people that want to be here. He was frustrated he wasn't getting enough game time that his ability deserved. I was disappointed. I didn't want him to go. He goes with my blessing and I wish him all the best.'
Derby's first championship home game of the season came against Middlesbrough, with the Rams gaining their first league win of the new season as they ran out out 1–0 victors thanks to Jackson's 14th-minute goal, his second goal in consecutive games, with Warne believing that the team 'stepped up a level' and praising the efforts of the players. Derby followed up on this victory with a 2–1 defeat away at Watford despite taking a 2nd-minute lead through Ebou Adams first goal of the season.
As Warne continued in his attempts to strengthen the squad, the club signed Wolves winger Tawanda Chirewa on a season-long loan on 26 August. Chirewa went straight into the side for the EFL Cup 2nd round tie away to League Two Barrow, with Derby exiting the competition on penalties following a 0–0 draw; this was Derby's third consecutive cup exit at the hands of a fourth tier side, following defeats to Crewe Alexandra in the FA Cup 1st round and Bradford City in the EFL Trophy round of 16 the previous campaign.
With the transfer window closing on 30 August, Derby concluded their transfer business for the summer with the season long loan signings of Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips and Ipswich Town winger Marcus Harness. Neither player signed in time for inclusion in the following day's fixture at home to Bristol City. Despite this, Derby ran out comfortable 3–0 winners, their eight consecutive league home win and their biggest win in the second tier since a 4–0 victory at Birmingham City in December 2020. Goudmijn and Ozoh both scored their first goals for the club, either side of a goal from Jackson's third goal in as many games at Pride Park. Warne described it as 'the best Derby performance I’ve seen since I’ve been here'.
September
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed Fee Contract ends Goalkeepers 1 Jacob Widell Zetterström GK Djurgården 2024 Undisclosed 2027 13 Rohan Luthra GK Cardiff City 2024 Free 2025 31 Josh Vickers GK Rotherham United 2023 Free 2026 Defenders 2 Kane Wilson RB Bristol City 2023 Undisclosed 2026 3 Craig Forsyth LB Watford 2013 £150,000 2025 6 Sondre Langås CB Viking 2025 Undisclosed 2029 12 Nat Phillips CB Liverpool 2024 Loan 2025 20 Callum Elder LB Hull City 2023 Free 2026 21 Jake Rooney CB Burnley 2022 Free 2026 24 Ryan Nyambe RB Free Agent 2023 2027 25 Matt Clarke CB Middlesbrough 2025 Undisclosed 2028 33 Erik Pieters CB Free Agent 2025 2025 35 Curtis Nelson CB Blackpool 2023 Free 2026 36 Keilen Robinson CB Academy 2022 2026 47 Dan Cox CB Academy 2022 Midfielders 4 David Ozoh DM Crystal Palace 2024 Loan 2025 8 Ben Osborn CM Sheffield United 2024 Free 2026 16 Liam Thompson DM Academy 2018 2025 17 Kenzo Goudmijn CM AZ Alkmaar 2024 Undisclosed 2028 18 Marcus Harness AM Ipswich Town 2024 Loan 2025 23 Joe Ward RM Peterborough United 2023 Free 2026 26 Darren Robinson DM Dungannon Swifts 2021 Undisclosed 2026 28 Harrison Armstrong CM Everton 2025 Loan 2025 29 Jeff Hendrick CM Free Agent 2025 2025 32 Ebou Adams CM Cardiff City 2024 Undisclosed 2027 37 Owen Eames CM Academy 2023 2025 40 Freddie Turley DM Shamrock Rovers 2024 Undisclosed 2027 43 Cruz Allen AM Academy 2023 2026 Forwards 7 Tom Barkhuizen LW Preston North End 2022 Free 2025 9 Kemar Roofe CF Free Agent 2025 2025 10 Jerry Yates CF Swansea City 2024 Loan 2025 11 Nathaniel Mendez-Laing RW Sheffield Wednesday 2022 Free 2026 14 Conor Washington CF Rotherham United 2023 Undisclosed 2025 15 Lars-Jørgen Salvesen CF Viking 2025 Undisclosed 2027 19 Kayden Jackson CF Ipswich Town 2024 Free 2026 27 Corey Blackett-Taylor LW Charlton Athletic 2024 Free 2027 38 Charles Ebuka Agbawodikeizu CF Free Agent 2024 2026 39 Dajaune Brown CF Academy 2022 2027 42 Johnson Osong LW Academy 2023 2025 48 Lennon Wheeldon CF Academy 2022 Out on loan 5 Sonny Bradley CB Luton Town 2023 Free 2025 22 Tyrese Fornah CM Nottingham Forest 2023 Undisclosed 2025
Transfers In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef 1 July 2024 LW Corey Blackett-Taylor Charlton Athletic Free 1 July 2024 CM Ben Osborn Sheffield United Free 2 July 2024 CF Kayden Jackson Ipswich Town Free 10 July 2024 CM Kenzo Goudmijn AZ Alkmaar Undisclosed 12 July 2024 CF Emmanuel Ilesanmi Harrogate Town Free 12 July 2024 DM Morten Spencer Leeds United Free 12 July 2024 CM Alex Stepien-Iwumene Southampton Free 17 July 2024 CM Ebou Adams Cardiff City Undisclosed 26 July 2024 DM Freddie Turley Shamrock Rovers Undisclosed 7 August 2024 GK Rohan Luthra Cardiff City Free 16 August 2024 GK Jacob Widell Zetterström Djurgården Undisclosed 15 January 2025 CF Lars-Jørgen Salvesen Viking Undisclosed 28 January 2025 CB Matt Clarke Middlesbrough Undisclosed 1 February 2025 CB Sondre Langås Viking Undisclosed 20 February 2025 CF Kemar Roofe Free Agent 7 March 2025 CM Jeff Hendrick Free Agent 28 March 2025 CB Erik Pieters Free Agent
Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 3 January 2025 CB Ben Radcliffe Crawley Town Undisclosed 20 January 2025 CF James Collins Lincoln City Undisclosed 31 January 2025 CB Eiran Cashin Brighton & Hove Albion Undisclosed 25 February 2025 RB Ryan Bartley Gateshead Undisclosed
Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromDate untilRef. 2 July 2024 CF Jerry Yates Swansea City End of Season 24 July 2024 DM David Ozoh Crystal Palace End of Season 26 August 2024 AM Tawanda Chirewa Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 January 2025 30 August 2024 AM Marcus Harness Ipswich Town End of Season 30 August 2024 CB Nat Phillips Liverpool End of Season 3 February 2025 CM Harrison Armstrong Everton End of Season
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToDate untilRef. 1 July 2024 CF Tony Weston Boston United End of Season 14 August 2024 CM Tyrese Fornah Salford City End of Season 17 August 2024 RB Ryan Bartley Spennymoor Town 14 September 2024 20 August 2024 DM Darren Robinson Hartlepool United 25 October 2024 6 September 2024 CB Ben Radcliffe Gateshead 1 January 2025 11 October 2024 RB Ryan Bartley Hereford 2 January 2025 18 October 2024 LB Riley Moloney Barwell 15 November 2024 20 October 2024 CB Dan Cox Enfield Town 20 November 2024 30 October 2024 RB Max Bardell AFC Fylde End of Season 11 November 2024 GK Josh Shattell Carlton Town 1 December 2024 21 November 2024 CM Alex Stepien-Iwumene Eastleigh 16 January 2025 23 November 2024 CF Lennon Wheeldon Boston United 1 January 2025 5 December 2024 GK Josh Shattell Erith Town 28 December 2024 6 December 2024 DM Harry Hawkins AFC Telford United End of Season 6 January 2025 CB Sonny Bradley Wycombe Wanderers End of Season 17 January 2025 RB Ryan Bartley Hereford 15 February 2025 23 January 2025 CF Emmanuel Ilesanmi Torquay United 20 February 2025 7 February 2025 CB Keilen Robinson Kidderminster Harriers 7 March 2025 25 March 2025 CF Emmanuel Ilesanmi Torquay United End of Season 1 April 2025 GK Rohan Luthra Spennymoor Town 8 April 2025
Released / Out of Contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef. 30 June 2024 CM Conor Hourihane Barnsley 1 July 2024 30 June 2024 CF Owen Oseni Gateshead 1 July 2024 30 June 2024 CM Louie Sibley Oxford United 3 July 2024 30 June 2024 AM Charlie Lindsay Glentoran9 July 2024 30 June 2024 GK Joe Wildsmith West Bromwich Albion 10 July 2024 30 June 2024 CM Korey Smith Cambridge United 17 July 2024 30 June 2024 RB Callum Moore Mickleover 9 August 2024 30 June 2024 CM Jack Bates Worthing 23 August 2024 30 June 2024 RM Alex Gibson-Hammond Hythe Town 10 September 2024 30 June 2024 CF Dwight Gayle Hibernian 12 September 2024 30 June 2024 GK Lewis Ridd Cliftonville 20 September 2024 30 June 2024 CF Martyn Waghorn Northampton Town 1 November 2024 30 June 2024 RW Eno Nto Harrogate Town 12 November 2024 30 June 2024 RW Carlos Richards Dorking Wanderers 1 February 2025 30 June 2024 CM Adebayo Fapetu 30 June 2024 RB Kwaku Oduroh 30 June 2024 CM Bradley Johnson 30 June 2024 GK Scott Loach 27 March 2025 DM Morten Spencer
Pre-season and friendlies On 11 May, the club announced a return to Alicante for a weeks training camp and a friendly against Stockport County. Two days later, Derby announced they would travel to Matlock Town for the opening pre-season fixture. A third fixture was later added to the schedule, against Chesterfield. On 6 June, a visit to Shrewsbury Town was also confirmed. A fifth friendly was later announced, versus Barnsley. On 5 July, a sixth and final fixture was added, at home against Spanish La Liga side Real Valladolid.
Competitions
Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 26 June, the Championship fixtures were announced.
FA Cup
Derby County entered the FA Cup at the third round stage, and were drawn away to Leyton Orient.
EFL Cup
On 27 June, the draw for the first round was made, with Derby being drawn at home against Chesterfield. In the second round, they were drawn away to Barrow.
Statistics Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Player(s) who featured whilst on loan but returned to parent club during the season:
|colspan="14"|Player(s) who featured but departed the club permanently during the season:
End-of-season awards