The Derby County pair were let go this summer, and they are currently looking for a club.
Examining Derby County’s transfer activity at this late point in the summer window, it is easy to conclude that Paul Warne is leading a completely different team than the one that won the promotion of the Rams from league one in the 2023–2024 season.
After being promoted, Derby County’s retained list featured a sizable amount of departures, especially in the midfield and attacking areas.
Conor Hourihane and Korey Smith, among others, left Pride Park after their contracts expired, which resulted in several renovations to the park’s center throughout the summer.
The addition of Tawanda Chirewa, who just joined on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, plus the signing of Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson ahead of the 2024–25 Championship season have also drastically altered the offense.
Due to the notable summertime losses, two of whom are still seeking a club, these offensive acquisitions were made.
Waghorn and Gayle played alongside Michael Hector, Jamal Blackman, Ravel Morrison, and other free agents from the Professional Footballers’ Association in their match against Cambridge United, a team in League One.
After stints at Coventry City and Huddersfield Town, Waghorn returned to Pride Park. The 34-year-old scored seven goals in 24 games to help the Rams push for promotion in the 2023–24 campaign.
However, Gayle was only a part of the team for a half of the season, during which time she played 325 minutes of league football and recorded three goals and an assist.
Derby County could benefit from having Dwight Gayle this season.
Gayle clearly showed potential in his six games for Derby County before his time was limited due to injuries, even though he shouldn’t be first choice to provide more firepower for the team this season.
Gayle might not win against players like Yates and Jackson, but as a replacement player, the 34-year-old could be valuable. Since he is a free agent, signing him would be a smart move for Warne’s team—as long as the pay differential is reasonable.
Although Gayle’s performances in the Championship suggested that he might not be as good as he once was, he seemed to have regained confidence in Warne’s system and his ability to make a big impact should not be undervalued.
