Cardiff City midfielder Ebou Adams may be set to return to Derby County on a permanent deal, according to journalist Darren Witcoop on X.
Adams spent last season on loan at Pride Park and the Rams are keen on making the Gambian their own player, with Witcoop saying talks between the two clubs are ongoing.
The 28-year-old made 17 appearances during his temporary spell in the East Midlands, scoring once and playing a vital role in Derby’s promotion to the second tier. The player proved highly popular amongst Rams supporters, with Adams himself stating a desire to return to the club after his loan.
Adams has represented his parent club just 13 times since joining in 2022, with the Bluebirds seemingly looking to move the player on ahead of the new campaign.
Prior to his time in the Welsh capital, the midfielder came through the ranks at non-league Dartford before earning a move to the Football League with Norwich City.
Adams never played at Carrow Road, being sent on loan multiple times before returning to non-league with Ebbsfleet United in 2018. He made the switch back to the EFL after a single season, being picked up by Forest Green Rovers where he made over 100 appearances before a move to Wales.
A move for Adams would mark Derby’s third signing of the summer as they make the return to the second tier after a two-season absence. Forward Kayden Jackson and midfielder Ben Osborn have joined from Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, and signing Adams would add further Championship experience to the squad as they look to avoid an immediate return to League One.
Writer’s View
This is a move which has been speculated for a while given just how good Adams was in his loan spell at Derby. He clearly isn’t fancied by Erol Bulut at Cardiff and a move to Derbyshire would see him given more first-team football at the same level as his current club. For Derby this is a great move; Adams knows the squad so will need little time to settle in, and the fans love him already. This would be a popular move for all parties.
