Retained list

[MadAmster]

Leaving the club are Tom Barkhuizan, Connor Washington, Sonny Bradley, Tyrese Fornah and Rohan Luthra.

Jeff Hendrick, Kemar Roofe and Erik Pieters are also leaving after the end of their short term deals.

New deals are being offered to Craig Forsyth and Liam Thompson.

[Andy_Faber]

A bit predictable and the future renewal/acquisition of Phillips and Ozoh and the extension of the Wilson contract will be of equal interest. There are some under contract that I'd sooner move on but that's the same every year (and not just Derby have that problem). I feel a bit sorry for Luthra who's done nothing wrong that we know of but the goalie coaches know best. Some will say the likes of Elder, Ward and Blackett-Taylor should be moved on due to repeated injuries which I disagree with but again JE and the team know best

[Geoff Parkstone]

I'll be sorry to see Connor Washington leave. Such a hidden gem who was never given an opportunity under Warne

[swaledale]

A bit predictable and the future renewal/acquisition of Phillips and Ozoh and the extension of the Wilson contract will be of equal interest. There are some under contract that I'd sooner move on but that's the same every year (and not just Derby have that problem). I feel a bit sorry for Luthra who's done nothing wrong that we know of but the goalie coaches know best. Some will say the likes of Elder, Ward and Blackett-Taylor should be moved on due to repeated injuries which I disagree with but again JE and the team know best

This is only those whose contracts have ended. There may well be players, such as those you have mentioned who may be sold on during the course of the transfer window but for now they have a contract with the club so will be on the retained list.

No doubt Eustace has a view overall on which players he'd ideally like to keep and those he'd move on. But as was seen with Washington last season, if a player under contract doesn't want to move, or if no club offers to buy or loan him then there is not much a club can do, except perhaps agree a termination of contract, but if that's not less than leaving the contract to run to its end, again it serves no purpose.

There will undoubtedly be conversations with players who will be advised whether they have a future in Eustace's plans over the next few weeks.

[Andy_Faber]

But as was seen with Washington last season, if a player under contract doesn't want to move, or if no club offers to buy or loan him then there is not much a club can do,.

Which IMO is good for the protection of a fairly low-paid journeymen like Washington who will need such funds after his career. Not his fault the contract was that length

[MadAmster]

A bit predictable and the future renewal/acquisition of Phillips and Ozoh and the extension of the Wilson contract will be of equal interest. There are some under contract that I'd sooner move on but that's the same every year (and not just Derby have that problem). I feel a bit sorry for Luthra who's done nothing wrong that we know of but the goalie coaches know best. Some will say the likes of Elder, Ward and Blackett-Taylor should be moved on due to repeated injuries which I disagree with but again JE and the team know best

Phillips. Love to have him come in on a permanent deal but there'll be SBC clubs. maybe even bottom half PL clubs, who can offer him a deal much closer to his current one than we can. Great if it happens but I don't think it will.

Ozoh. Quality player but he appears to have glass legs and I'd need him to have extensive tests on his legs before signing him and even then I'd want to have a clause dropping his pay when unavailable. He wouldn't sign with such a clause, IMO.

Luthra. On next to nowt. I thought we'd keep him. Shows what I know. He got some game time pre season and one of my lads didn't rate what he saw of him. Will we get a new 3rd keeper in or will we gamble on one of the U18/U21 keepers filling that slot?

Wilson has had a 1 year option triggered, hopefully we are negotiating an extension to that deal.

Elder, Ward and CBT are 3 I'd like to see moved on as they can't be relied on to be available. The big question is, does JE rate them enough to take the gamble? From things he's said, you could be forgiven for thinking he'll keep Elder and CBT as he has praised them in interviews. I don't recall him ever mentioning Ward. Will any of that prove significant? Probably not.

Of the others, I wouldn't be saddened to see Ossie, NML and Jackson either sold or loaned out.

[swaledale]

Which IMO is good for the protection of a fairly low-paid journeymen like Washington who will need such funds after his career. Not his fault the contract was that length

Absolutely, I have no issue with players contracts, just highlighting that in a club that's at a transition stage between divisions, there will be players signed for L1, that won't make the grade to the Championship but can't be moved on for whatever reason. Some fans seem to think one can just clear out those players no longer required and recruit new ones and forget that there are salary budgets that mean that isn't possible. The same fans (not yourself) would not like having their employment contracts cancelled due to the employer not requiring their services!

I'm expecting a fair bit of movement over the next few weeks, both in and out.

[SithHappens]

Elder has turned out quite a bit , 29 and 30 appearances in the two seasons with us.

Ward is no doubt a decent player but as said not reliable.

I'm sad to see Barks go, seems he never fully recovered from his illness. But I liked him as a player.

One thinks Warne may come in for one or two , NML would be excellent at that level.

[ramAnag]

Which IMO is good for the protection of a fairly low-paid journeymen like Washington who will need such funds after his career. Not his fault the contract was that length

Let’s not forget that Conor Washington has cost the club 6500 GBP PW (338,000 PA). I understand the need to protect contracts and that he is not well paid by Salah standards but he’s been a complete waste of money imo and a very, very bad signing at the worst possible time.

I really hope the lesson has been learned that buying injury prone players on the cheap is false economy.

No player, however capable, is worth buying if they’re going to spend more time on the treatment table than on the pitch, again imo.

P.S. 29/30 appearances over two seasons, many incomplete, is not a great return from Elder.
Think Barks is a decent L1 player, which tbf is what he was bought as, nothing more.
Happy to keep NML…never a captain, which did him no favours in the first six months of last season, but a good impact sub.
For Ward read Washington. Both have ability, but it’s no use without availability.

[SithHappens]

Bargains compared with Anya