Derby County step up efforts to land Leicester City star before deadline

Derby County have reportedly stepped up their efforts to bring Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury to Pride Park as John Eustace looks to strengthen his midfield before the transfer window shuts.

The Rams have endured a difficult start to the new campaign, having failed to record a victory in their first three competitive fixtures. Two of those matches came at home against teams promoted from League One, while Derby also surrendered a lead during their opening-day Championship clash with Charlton Athletic.

The summer has been an eventful one behind the scenes at Derby. Much of the attention had initially centred on a proposed Saudi-backed investment, but that deal collapsed earlier this month. Since then, the club’s focus has switched towards strengthening Eustace’s squad without the expected financial boost.

Derby target Choudhury

Derby already added significant Championship experience to their midfield by signing Alex Mowatt shortly before the season began. The 31-year-old arrived with more than 400 appearances in England’s second tier and was expected to provide valuable experience in the centre of the pitch.

However, the Rams are seemingly still looking for another option, with journalist Mike McGrath reporting that they have made an approach for Leicester midfielder Choudhury.

Choudhury has spent virtually his entire career with Leicester after joining the club’s academy as a seven-year-old in 2005. Despite his long association with the Foxes, the midfielder has never established himself as a regular starter and has had two loan spells during the past four seasons.

His latest temporary move came at Sheffield United during the second half of the 2024/25 season. Choudhury played an important role as the Blades enjoyed a 92-point Championship campaign and featured for the full duration of their play-off run, which ultimately ended in defeat to Sunderland at Wembley.

He returned to Leicester last season as the club competed in the Championship and was occasionally handed the captain’s armband. However, he started only 17 league matches and was an unused substitute on 11 occasions.

Choudhury has also struggled to break into Russell Martin’s team this season, appearing from the bench in each of Leicester’s first three competitive fixtures.

Despite those limitations, the midfielder brings plenty of second-tier experience. He was part of Leicester’s Championship title-winning squad in 2023/24 and has accumulated 129 appearances in the division.

That experience could make him a useful addition to Derby, particularly given the Rams’ ambitions of competing strongly in the Championship.

Mixed reaction from supporters

The reported interest has produced contrasting reactions among fans of both clubs.

Leicester supporters have generally welcomed the possibility of Choudhury leaving, with some appearing pleased that the midfielder could move on.

Derby fans, however, have been considerably less enthusiastic about the potential deal. Some supporters have questioned why the club would pursue another central midfielder, while others have expressed disappointment at the possibility of missing out on former loanee David Ozoh.

The differing reactions highlight how surprising the proposed move has been for some Derby supporters.

Why would Derby want another midfielder?

There is a clear argument that Derby already possess plenty of options in central midfield.

Mowatt has joined captain Lewis Travis as an experienced choice in the deeper midfield role, while Oscar Fraulo can provide additional cover. Bobby Clark is capable of operating as an attacking midfielder, and academy prospect Owen Eames is another option should injuries become an issue.

Clark’s performance in the 2-2 draw with Cardiff City also highlighted another problem within the Derby squad. He played from the right wing, scoring once and creating another goal, but his natural position is in central midfield.

That suggests Derby may actually have greater concerns regarding their lack of natural wide players than their options in the middle.

As a result, targeting another central midfielder has understandably left some supporters questioning the club’s recruitment priorities, particularly given Choudhury’s limited involvement in a struggling Leicester side last season.

There is, however, one major advantage to bringing him in. Choudhury has considerable experience as a squad player and could perform a similar role at Pride Park. His versatility is another asset, as he can also cover on either side of the defence.

With Derby facing a long and demanding Championship campaign, that flexibility could prove valuable.

Although Eustace continues to have the backing of the Derby fanbase, the reported interest in Choudhury has still raised plenty of questions about whether the midfielder is the right priority with the transfer deadline approaching.