Derby County are reportedly bracing themselves for interest in their young Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason Knight, according to the Hull Daily Mail.
Knight has cemented himself as a first-team regular for The Rams after breaking through in the 2019-20 season, making 44 appearances across the 2022-23 season.
Who is Jason Knight?
Knight is a 22-year-old Dublin-born midfielder who is a product of the Derby youth set-up, making his debut in the 2019-20 season and has made over 150 appearances for the club, scoring on 14 occasions.
The 2020-21 campaign yielded six league goals, his best return in senior football and was one that saw him make his international debut in a Nations League match against Finland in October 2020. Derby’s next season was one of points deductions and financial turmoil that eventually saw the club relegated to League One under Wayne Rooney.
The young Irishman made 38 League One appearances in 2022-23 as County lost out to Peterborough United for the final playoff spot. Since making his international debut almost three years ago, Knight has a total of 17 caps and has scored once in a friendly against Andorra.
What’s been said?
The rumours of Knight’s departure originate from the Rams not making the playoffs and facing a second season in the third tier and are centred around Hull City manager Liam Rosenior having previously worked with the player.
Knight’s international boss, Stephen Kenny, has added fuel to the fire with comments he has made about the midfielder. When asked about Knight, Kenny replied, “He’s another one on the verge of a move now. A lot of clubs want to buy Jason, which will be good for him, to get back to playing at a level higher than League One.
He continued, “Derby have been great to him, he’s played a high amount of games for them for someone so young. But he’s at that stage where he probably needs to go and play at a higher level to kick on.”
Writer’s View
This summer may be an anxious one for some Derby fans, with speculation such as this likely to increase around some of their players. Knight’s contract is due to end following the culmination of the 2023-24 season so rumours of the young man’s future are sure to surface as he continues to impress in the Rams’ midfield.
Decisions will need to be made about assets like Knight as to whether they are likely to sign extended contracts or the club may look to cash in on a player who is still valued around the £4 million mark.
Kenny’s comments won’t have helped anyone associated with Derby who was already concerned they could lose Knight but, at present, there seems no concrete interest just links to former managers.
