Derby County hopes to improve on their eighth-place position in the Championship this season, but they will need additional forward reinforcement.

Last season, John Eustace’s team dominated the loan market, particularly in the forward positions.

Ben Brereton Diaz was a crucial member of the team throughout the season, while Sammie Szmodics and Jaydan Banal both made significant contributions towards the end of the year to help them reach the play-offs, but they fell short on the last day.

With those three gone, and Patrick Agyemang certain to miss the first few games of the new season as he recovers from an Achilles injury sustained in April, extra attackers are needed at Pride Park before September 1.

Derby have been rather quiet on the transfer front since signing Bobby Clark for £6 million, but they have added Filip Bilbija, who scored 17 goals in 33 appearances off the left wing for German second-tier side Paderborn, leading them to promotion to the Bundesliga.

That’s a significant transfer, but John Eustace’s efforts to enhance their right side this summer may have hit a Belgian-shaped hurdle.

Anderlecht competes with Derby County to sign Oliver Antman.

Derby have expressed an interest in Rangers’ right-winger Oliver Antman, but according to reports in Scotland, they may lose out to Belgian club Anderlecht in their pursuit.

According to the Daily Record, the historic 34-time Belgian Pro League winners bid £4 million for the Finnish international, while the Scottish Sun reports that Derek McInnes’ side accepted a £4.5 million proposal.

Antman has only been at Ibrox for a year, but that time has been far from productive. Russell Martin brought him to the club, but the current Leicester City manager was fired after only two months.

A leg injury soon after sidelined him for a few months, and when he returned, he failed to get into the side under Danny Rohl, with his last league start coming in late November before the layoff.

Rangers did brought him in after a spectacular season in the Netherlands, where he scored six goals and assisted 15 others to help Go Ahead Eagles qualify for the Europa League.

It’s hoped that whomever signs him this summer can help Antman regain his form, and if so, the 24-year-old may be a valuable asset. Unfortunately, it appears that Derby will not be the team to help revive his career.

Derby County may be delighted to slip adrift in the Oliver Antman transfer race.

Aside from his amazing season with the Go Ahead Eagles in 2024/25, Antman hasn’t exactly prospered throughout his career.

Prior to that one year in Holland, the 24-year-old had spent the majority of his professional career with Danish club Nordsjaelland, where he struggled for consistent minutes and had little impression in the Superliga.

The Finnish international would even be loaned out to FC Groningen in the second half of the 2022/23 season, having played less than 500 minutes for his parent club in the first half.

There is no doubt that Antman could improve with regular gameplay. His sole campaign as a first-choice winger earned him a £4 million move to Rangers last summer.

However, with the Rams already paying a decent seven-figure amount for Clark, investing close to £4.5 million for someone like Antman may be a risk they should avoid.

If the 24-year-old proves to be a success at Anderlecht, there may be some transfer jealousy, but for the time being, losing his services could be a blessing in disguise in what is hoped to be a great season at Pride Park.