Derby County has had a successful first full season under John Eustace, and a top six finish remains a possibility.

Even if the Rams fall short, which appears inevitable, there’s no disputing they’ve made significant progress under Eustace, and there will be a sense around Pride Park that they’re a team on the right track.

While Eustace deserves a lot of credit for his work, the recruitment staff has also made some wise decisions in recent years.

The two noteworthy recruits are Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Patrick Agyemang, who are expected to be sold for a substantial profit when they leave.

Bobby Clark is another impressive addition, with the attacking midfielder flourishing this season since joining on loan from RB Salzburg.

Derby County has been ordered to push to sign Bobby Clark permanently.

The 21-year-old was highly regarded after rising through the ranks at Liverpool, but he naturally had to go for first-team play, and his move to Austria did not go as planned.

Clark will enjoy life in the east Midlands, but his future remains uncertain, as he is scheduled to return to Salzburg at the end of the campaign.

However, a summer move is possible, and given how well he has settled at Derby, it is reasonable to believe that a permanent transfer would benefit all sides, with Eustace already stating that he wants Clark to stay longer.

So, you’d expect the Rams to try to reach an agreement with Salzburg, but when asked by FLW how much the club should be willing to pay, Derby fan pundit Shaun Woodward said a £7 million offer would be reasonable, though he was concerned that others might outbid them for Clark’s signature.

“I really believe we should make this happen. I believe he will be out of our price range, especially with Patrick Agyemang’s injury, as we will not be able to sell him for a high price for at least another year.

“However, if we can afford it, I believe it is worthwhile to make a bid of £7 million. Well, I believe he’d be looking for between £5 million and £10 million, so if we could get him for £7 million, I’d be delighted.

“Clark is only going to become better as he gets older; he’s had a wonderful season for us and will continue to progress. As fantastic as he has been, he could improve his stats. He creates a lot of opportunities, but he needs to add more goals and assists to his game, which I believe he will achieve next season.

“I think there’s a really good player there, and if we could get him for £7m, I think we could sell him for double that if he has a couple of good seasons with us, so I’d love to see that deal happen, but I just worry that teams who get relegated from the Premier League, or top teams in our league, will have too much money for us to compete.”

Bobby Clark would make a statement signing for Derby County.

As previously said, Derby are performing well under Eustace, who has developed a distinct style of play that has gotten the most out of the club.

He will continue to push the players to finish in the top six, but Derby are expected to play Championship football next season, and with the play-offs extending by two teams, Eustace will strive for a top eight finish.

To do this, more quality players must be added to the roster, and maintaining Clark is a top goal if at all possible.

The England youth international has made significant progress over the last nine months, as evidenced by his nomination for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award.

Most would agree that a deal will be difficult to complete because his form suggests he will not have gone unnoticed, but Derby’s relationship with Clark may offer them an advantage.

In any case, a permanent move from Salzburg appears to be on the cards, and Derby would be extremely fortunate if they could secure Clark on a long-term contract.