Summary Derby County makes bold cuts to veteran squad members post-promotion to Championship, setting new course for next season. James Collins, key goal scorer for Rams' promotion, may be on his way out as club seeks fresh talent for Championship. Collins' departure, with a reasonable wage, could free up funds for Derby to sign a more effective striker as they move up a division.
Derby County took no time whatsoever in showing what their intentions are for next season, getting rid of a number of the veteran members of the squad in their retained list, after their promotion up to the Championship had been savoured in all its glory.
Cut-throat decision-making from the powers that be in Derbyshire resulted in the likes of Conor Hourihane, Joe Wildsmith and Korey Smith all being axed, with the most surprising name of those released being the ex-Aston Villa midfielder, who had just captained the Rams to promotion success.
Yet, it's clear to see that Paul Warne and Co want to head in a slightly different direction, away from relying on the ageing members of the squad to come up trumps, which could result in another stalwart of their League One success story being ditched soon, if he doesn't extend his contract past this June.
James Collins' time at Derby
Last campaign, James Collins led the line effectively for the eventual promotion winners, taking his overall career goal haul for the third tier to 70 strikes from 190 games in total, by continuing to be a reliable finisher.
14 of those goals would come last season in league action, with the 33-year-old centre-forward even netting the final strike of the third-tier campaign altogether for his team, ensuring the Rams picked up a comfortable three points against Carlisle United to finally return to the Championship.
Regardless of being an important player for Warne last season, there's no guarantee that he will stay put at Pride Park for the leap up a division, with a new contract offered to him in the aforementioned retained list, but with no further progress out in the open as of yet.
With many new players being linked with a switch to Derbyshire, as the newly promoted side look to plug gaps in central midfield as a direct consequence of Hourihane's absence, the Rams could opt to sign someone fresher up top if Collins is ditched, having failed to agree a new deal.
Losing Collins wouldn't be the end of the world for Warne's men, who have had to replace attacking stars such as Tom Lawrence and Jason Knight in recent years after their exits, with the ex-Luton Town striker leaving freeing up more space on the wage bill too, which was also a major factor in Hourihane boldly being let go of.
Collins' wage in the Derby camp
According to Salary Sport, as of 2023, the veteran striker pocketed a healthy £8.1k-per-week wage, which puts him in the top bracket of earners at Pride Park.
Hourihane's excessive £12k-per-week pay packet did make him the highest earner, justifying Derby's decision to get rid arguably, as the former Premier League midfielder nears his retirement date soon.
1. Conor Hourihane
£12k-per-week
2. Curtis Nelson
£8.4k-per-week
3. James Collins
£8.1k-per-week
4. Louis Sibley
£8k-per-week
5. Max Bird
£7.9k-per-week
Astoundingly on a higher wage than Max Bird last season, who is now on the books at Bristol City after an impactful swansong season with his boyhood club, there might well be an argument that Derby could sign a more effective striker for the division above, using money gained back from letting Collins leave.
Only scoring 27 times from 114 Championship contests in the past, Warne and Co will be drafting up new strikers they can target now, with the end of the month rapidly coming into view, and no new developments emerging about Collins staying or going.
Collins might well feel departing now, on the high of a promotion rush, is the best possible way to exit actually, instead of overstaying his Derby welcome in a division that could now be too strenuous on his legs.
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