John Eustace faces a huge Derby County dilemma after £3.5m transfer setback

Derby County will have been desperate for a much better start to the 2026/27 campaign, with John Eustace now facing the task of using the international break to get his side back on track.

The Rams have managed just one victory from their opening eight Championship matches, leaving supporters frustrated and the club sitting in the bottom three heading into the break.

Eustace was relatively pleased with Derby’s summer recruitment, bringing in the likes of Bobby Clark, Sammie Szmodics, Alex Mowatt and David Ozoh on permanent deals. However, not every new arrival has managed to make the same impact at Pride Park.

One of the biggest concerns surrounds Max Johnston.

The Scotland international arrived from Sturm Graz in a deal that could eventually reach £3.5 million, with Derby initially paying around £2.2m for the defender.

Johnston had built a strong reputation during his time in Austria and arrived at Derby with European experience and international recognition. Given Eustace’s preference for systems involving attacking wing-backs, the 22-year-old appeared to be a natural fit for the Rams.

The plan was seemingly straightforward: Johnston would establish himself as Derby’s first-choice option on the right.

Instead, injuries have severely disrupted his time at Pride Park.

After beginning the campaign in his preferred position, Johnston suffered a hamstring problem before being hit by a calf injury, resulting in a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

During his absence, Joe Ward and Ryan Nyambe have been asked to fill the void at right wing-back, with Ward in particular producing some encouraging performances.

That has only underlined the frustration surrounding Johnston’s situation.

Derby invested heavily in the Scottish defender because of what he could potentially bring to Eustace’s system, but the Rams have so far seen very little return from their sizeable investment.

With Derby struggling near the foot of the Championship, Eustace will need his injured players back and firing if the Rams are to rescue their season.