Derby County Meet Asking Price For Scotland International

Derby County Meet Asking Price For Scotland International

Derby County have submitted a third bid for Sturm Graz talent Max Johnston, having seen bids of £1.4m and £1.6m rejected by the Austrian side for the Scottish right-back's services.

Their newest bid includes a fee of £2m, which meets Sturm Graz's valuation of the 21-year-old star, according to Anthony Joseph.

The Rams face competition for the signature of Johnston, with Sturm Graz also registering interest from several clubs around Europe, including Serie A side Bologna.

John Eustace's side are also in negotiations in moves for former QPR star Koki Saito and Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis, though Rovers are refusing to drop their valuation on their unhappy captain, with The Rams not hugely keen on increasing their offering.

Rams Lead Race for Young Defender

Max Johnston is a name noted in the scouting booklets of many around Europe, after a strong debut season in Austria following a free transfer from Motherwell in his native Scotland. The 21-year-old right-back scored once and laid on a further five assists in the league last season.

The likes of Sheffield United, Watford, Bologna and Parma have all circled the Scotsman's names as one to watch in this window, but John Eustace's side are the first to meet the club's £2m asking price, with talks believed to accelerate forwards after Derby's third, and potentially final, bid for Johnston.

Max Johnston was a no-brainer when he left Motherwell but apparently Sturm Graz are willing to sell him on the cheap.

Passing numbers could improve but that was the same at Motherwell.

What he will provide is the ability to carry the ball up the pitch, high energy and a good… pic.twitter.com/aMHY7gCnHW

— Kai Watson (@KaiGWatson) August 17, 2025

The Rams had submitted bids of £1.4m and £1.6m previously, looking to add Johnston into a team in need of a spark after a poor start to their EFL Championship campaign, but both offers had been rejected by Sturm Graz as they held out for their £2m valuation.

Said asking price has now been met by The Rams, and the East Midlands side now lead the race for Johnston as the window draws to a close.

Travis Talks Stall Amidst Blackburn Tension

Much has been made about the potential deal talking Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis to Pride Park this summer, with the 27-year-old midfielder making clear his intentions to depart the Lancashire side as the transfer window edges to a close.

However, Blackburn have refused to accept any offer from Derby for their captain, with an offer currently on the table from The Rams to attempt to bring the unsettled player to the East Midlands as another part of their summer overhaul, according to Dom Dietrich.

"We need to get that Travis situation sorted now"

"Leadership, yes but will he be missed as a footballer?"@bigfellabeaty and @markhitch have their say on the Lewis Travis and Derby County situation..#Rovers #brfc #dcfc #efl pic.twitter.com/0S6ydnnM93

— The Blackburn End Podcast (@blackburnendpod) August 20, 2025

Blackburn do not appear to be in any mood to accept the outstanding offer from The Rams, nor do Derby wish to raise their bid much higher than they already have, leading to a stalemate between all parties.

Travis is reportedly desperate to make the move happen, with only one year left on his contract, but may be faced with the peril of a season spent on the sidelines, before leaving the club for nothing, should nothing further stem from talks with Derby.