Derby County are in desperate need of reinforcements following a poor run of form that has pushed them back into the relegation zone.
The Rams are currently ranked 18th in the Championship, having won only one of their last five league games. They are now only four points above the bottom three, and Paul Warne faces a difficult task in guiding them back to mid-table.
The January transfer window has arrived at an ideal time for the East Midlands club, and fans will be eager to see players arrive fast, particularly in more attacking positions.
Derby fans will be relieved to see the likes of Louie Barry already linked with the club, while Reading’s Harvey Knibbs could also be an excellent signing, with The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath reporting on Monday that a number of Championship clubs, including the Rams, are interested in the 25-year-old.
Knibbs could be a fantastic addition for Derby
Warne has made no secret of his wish to add more firepower, with a lack of goals being one of the main reasons for his team’s struggles in recent weeks.
The Rams have had numerous opportunities to score goals, but they have failed to take advantage of them.
Bringing in a player like Knibbs will only assist them in their quest to stay in the Championship, and Football League World has asked Derby Fan Pundit Shaun Woodward if he thinks the Reading ace would be a decent addition this month.
Warne has made no secret of his wish to add more firepower, with a lack of goals being one of the main reasons for his team’s struggles in recent weeks.
The Rams have had numerous opportunities to score goals, but they have failed to take advantage of them.
Bringing in a player like Knibbs will only assist them in their quest to stay in the Championship, and Football League World has asked Derby Fan Pundit Shaun Woodward if he thinks the Reading ace would be a decent addition this month.
He said: “I definitely think Derby should be looking to buy Harvey Knibbs. He’s the kind of player who could come straight into our starting XI and I think he would improve us.
“I think he’s shown for Reading over the last couple of seasons that he’s got a real eye for goal. I think his record over the last couple of seasons shows that he’s better than one in three. He can really create a lot as well.
“He’s exciting, and I think he would improve on what we’ve already got. The likes of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Kayden Jackson and Marcus Harness are not really cutting it in the Championship, and I think someone like Knibbs would come in full of confidence because he’s had a good season already.”
Shaun continued: “He’s at a great age, he’s tall and he’s powerful. Unfortunately, Reading are struggling with off-field stuff, and we know how that feels. We’ve lost quite a few of our better players over the years because of that. It’s sad to take someone’s player under similar circumstances, but it’s the reality of football.
“It’s sad for Reading, but we need to think about ourselves and if we can get a player like Knibbs for a decent price, then I think we should be all over it. He would definitely improve us, and Derby should do all they can to get the player.
“He was also raised in Derbyshire, so that would definitely be something I would be using to my advantage if I was Paul Warne, as potentially he’s got friends and family in the area.”
Knibbs has had an excellent season at Reading despite the club’s off-field issues
The Royals have had a particularly rough season, with ownership troubles dominating the talk around the club. However, the players have done an excellent job of ensuring that supporters continue to be proud of their club.
Knibbs has played an important role in that, scoring eight goals, including a brace against his former club Cambridge United on New Year’s Day.
He is the type of player Derby have been looking for all season, capable of playing in central midfield and right behind the striker, and his ability to arrive into the box late will complement the Rams’ wide players’ prolific crosses.
At 25, he has time to establish himself as a dominant force in the Championship, and if he can provide the goals he did for Reading this season for the East Midlands side, there is no doubt that they will be able to climb out of the relegation zone.
