Derby’s Summer Shines: Owen Beck Joins as Rebuild Gathers Pace

Derby County’s summer business continued with the arrival of Owen Beck on a season-long loan from Liverpool. The 22-year-old full-back, who spent last season under John Eustace at Blackburn Rovers, is considered a system-specific signing. With Craig Forsyth released and Callum Elder’s role reduced, left-back had been a thin position in Derby’s squad.

Derby County have completed the signing of @OwenBeck02! 🤩

The full-back arrives at Pride Park Stadium on a season-long loan. 🤝

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) July 25, 2025

Beck brings defensive solidity. He’s a modern full-back in profile: quick over short distances, capable in one-on-one defensive situations and comfortable progressing the ball in tight areas. Having made 25 Championship appearances on loan at Blackburn Rovers last season, 18 of those being starts, he arrives with match-ready sharpness and specific tactical experience under John Eustace.

Beck’s statistical profile is solid across key defensive metrics:

• 2.3 successful tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90, with a
• 76% dribble resistance rate.
• Averages 5.8 progressive carries per match,

With Craig Forsyth released and Callum Elder rarely trusted as a first-choice option, left-back was one of the weakest positions in Derby’s squad last season. Beck’s arrival fills a functional need, but also speaks to the growing ability of Derby’s recruitment team to become Premier League prospects.

It’s telling that Beck chose Derby despite interest from Championship sides better-placed last season. His relationship with Eustace was reportedly a major factor. At Blackburn, Eustace’s brief tenure saw Beck integrated into a more structured defensive setup with clear in-possession roles for the full-backs, something that aligns with Derby’s developing game model.

He’s not just arriving to gain experience; he’s here because Derby want a specific profile of player and can now credibly promise a clear tactical environment in which that player will thrive.

Carlton Morris and the Rebuild of the Attack

Beck’s arrival may be the most tactically targeted, but Carlton Morris is arguably the headline act. Derby secured the 28-year-old striker from Luton Town for a reported £2 million, modest for a forward who scored 20 goals in the 2022–23 Championship season and a further 12 in the Premier League last term.

Derby County have completed the signing of @CarltonJM! ✅

The striker has signed a three-year deal at Pride Park Stadium. 🤝

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) June 26, 2025

What makes Morris valuable is not just his output, but his suitability for a variety of roles. He’s a striker who excels at pinning centre-backs and creating space for advancing No.10s. Eustace favours systems that rely on link play in central areas—whether in a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-2-1.

Morris is uniquely qualified to operate as a lone striker or in a front two, having played in both structures at Luton. His hold-up play has improved remarkably over the past two seasons, as he averaged 3.4 aerial duels won per 90 last year, ranking top five among Premier League strikers. He also presses hard, something that Eustace demands, and covers more ground than most target men.

Derby lacked this physical outlet last season, often resorting to midfielders carrying the creative load without a platform to play off. Morris solves that. He’s not a project, he’s a known quantity, and Derby need that spine. Too often last season the goals were spread thin, and too many attacking moves broke down through a lack of focal point. With Morris leading the line, supported by players like Weimann and potentially Goudmijn or Sibley, Derby now have both verticality and structure.

Patrick Agyemang: Risk, Investment, and Resale Potential

The boldest move of the window is unquestionably the £6 million signing of Patrick Agyemang from Charlotte FC. For a club operating under the shadow of financial recovery, it’s a transformative outlay. The 23-year-old is a dual-national US striker who has built a reputation in MLS as a direct, high-intensity runner with a knack for dragging defenders out of shape.

Derby County have completed the signing of Patrick Agyemang! ✅

The #USMNT striker has signed a four-year deal at Pride Park Stadium. 🇺🇸

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) July 15, 2025

He contributed 8 goals and 5 assists in 22 MLS appearances this year, eith his heat maps showing consistent activity in the right channel, suggesting he’s not a conventional centre-forward, but someone who thrives when given freedom to drive at goal. This is not a typical EFL signing, but it’s also not a gamble without planning.

Derby have committed to a four-year deal with the player and see him as both a long-term asset and a short-term option to rotate with or play off Morris. He’s not a like-for-like replacement for anyone in the current squad, but he brings something Derby don’t have.

It’s a shift in ambition. Derby haven’t spent that kind of money since Tom Ince. The club’s willingness to take a calculated risk on a young overseas talent shows confidence in their coaching setup and scouting network, both of which have been overhauled since David Clowes’ takeover.

Veterans for Structure: Batth and Weimann

While Morris and Agyemang steal the attention, the additions of Danny Batth and Andreas Weimann provide a key insight into Derby's seasonal plans. Batth was a central figure at Sunderland and then Blackburn, where he captained the side during a turbulent campaign. Aerially dominant (5.3 clearances per 90) and positionally intelligent, he arrives to mentor while competing directly for a starting place.

Weimann, meanwhile, is a versatile attacker who can play anywhere behind the striker or wide in a pressing system. While his best years may be behind him, his work rate remains a valuable trait. He also scored seven goals in 32 appearances last season for Blackburn, four of which came in games where he played behind a target man.

His signing offers Eustace the chance to rotate in attacking areas without a steep drop-off in experience or work ethic. Both players arrive on frees, but their roles are clearly defined. They’re culture signings as much as tactical ones.

Structural Improvements

Last summer, Derby were newly promoted and running a budget Championship squad. Eleven players arrived, but only four made over 20 starts. The rest were either loans (Yates, Phillips), stopgaps (Hourihane), or risks that failed to settle. The 2025 window is sharper. There’s a higher floor to each signing, and the positional profiles are complementary.

For instance, Beck gives a natural outlet on the left. Derby used six different players there last season. Agyemang allows Derby to change the tempo and go in behind. Batth adds set-piece security, in which Derby conceded 14 goals from set pieces in 2024–25. They’ve also trimmed the wage bill and offloaded older players with no upside. What remains is a younger squad with a defined core.

A Club With Direction

This isn’t a perfect squad. Central midfield remains thin and a long-term goalkeeper is still a question. But in terms of planning, profile and purpose, Derby are in their best position since 2019. They’ve combined targeted loans (Beck), experienced leaders (Batth, Weimann) and ambitious gambles (Agyemang) into a window that suggests a club finally building, not just reacting. There’s a long way to go, but the strategy is now visible. Derby want to be a top-half side this season, and for the first time in years, there’s a structure in place that might actually get them there.