Derby County midfielder Jason Knight and Krystian Bielik are both linked with Championship clubs, as revealed by both John Percy and Football League World.
Jason Knight has been the topic of conversation for some time now, with his future at Derby County hanging in the balance, it is thought by many that he is likely to move on from the Rams this summer, putting his four-year stay at Pride Park to an end.
And the wheels look to have been put into motion on that becoming a reality, as yesterday it was reported by John Percy that Championship outfit Bristol City had registered two bids with the club for the Republic of Ireland international. The latest bid that the Robins was believed to be in the range of £1.5 million. That figure is believed to be closer to Derby’s valuation of Knight, but it remains to be seen if another bid is lodged by Bristol City.
But the club now face competition for the midfielder’s signature, as recently promoted Ipswich Town have begun registering their interest in the 22-year-old, as they monitor his situation, with the club’s recruitment team believed to be big fans of the Irishman. Ipswich joining the race for Knight will be considered a boost for the Rams, it looks clear he has played his final game for the club and the two clubs may engage in a bidding war, potentially raising the price even further.
Knight earned his 20th cap for his country earlier this week, as the Republic of Ireland beat Gibraltar 3-0. Knight was named man of the match in that victory, where he was utilised as a wing-back. The Irishman’s debut came in August 2019 and he has gone on to make 166 appearances for the Rams, with 47 of those coming last season. His versatility, as shown by his deployment at right-back, has begun to attract a lot of interest from the Championship.
It looks set to be a double blow for the Rams, with it also reported that Polish international Krystian Bielik is the subject of talks with Birmingham City over a permanent transfer to St Andrew’s, where he spent last season on loan.
Bielik is also expected to be leaving Pride Park this summer, as he also goes through European qualifiers with his home country and the former Arsenal man has expressed his desire to leave, with League One not being enough to sustain his international career.
The Polish international joined the Rams from Arsenal in 2019, however, his time with the club was hampered with injuries. Bielik spent last season on loan with the Blues in the Championship, making more appearances with the club than in any other season in his career previously. The defender played 35 times in the second tier last season, scoring once and providing one assist.
Writer’s View
It is no surprise to see the offers start coming in for Knight, most of his games with the Rams came in the Championship and it is clear that is where he sees his future, as he begins to push for a move after last season’s heartache for the club. As for Bielik, he was away for the club’s first season in League One and you would have to feel wages played a key role in that deal. The departure of the Polish international sees another versatile midfielder leave, with his ability to play in a holding midfield role as well as in the back four.
