Derby Squad To Be Trimmed

With 9 players having already arrived at Derby this summer, and yet more still wanted by Paul Jewell more players will have to make way to get us to the desired squad size of 24. If it means us taking a loss on what we paid for these players for this to happen, as has already been the case, then this is something that Adam Pearson is prepared to see us do again if need be.

'It is no secret we are still chasing a centre forward and a central midfield player.

'I think, once we have acquired those two, we will take a break and concentrate on moving some out because we would like to start the season with about 24 senior pros, which would tend to indicate that, possibly, as many as six could go out.

'The number of players in the squad is important, not just from the financial side of the club but also for the manager that he has the right number of players, and 30 senior pros is obviously far too many.'

Paul Connolly, Jordan Stewart, Paul Green, Nathan Ellington, Kris Commons, Martin Albrechtsen, Liam Dickinson, Steve Davies and Ruben Zadkovich have all signed so far, with Robert Earnshaw, Kenny Miller, David Jones, Craig Fagan and Darren Moore being the ones to make way, most of whom left with us taking a big hit financially but this is something that Pearson is prepared to see happen if required if it gets the results that are wanted, although he is still unhappy with the spending policies of last summer.

'I still look back now at last summer's transfer activity and really question it because I see the way newly-promoted clubs are going about it, whereby the money is going on wages. It is going on experienced European players who have played in the Premier League.

'To pay huge domestic transfer fees for domestic Championship players, for me, is a flawed policy going into the Premier League.

'We are having to pay the price for it because we are going to have to write down the costs, as we have already seen against Robert Earnshaw and Kenny Miller, and I am sure we will see on Benny Feilhaber and Andy Todd that there are significant losses to be incurred.'

Pearson was talking to the Evening Telegraph.

Andy Todd has already been told that he is free to leave the club, with Feilhaber appearing to be surplus to requirements too. Several players had loans away from Pride Park last season including Mo Camara, Gary Teale, Stephen Bywater and Stephen Pearson, all of whom could be among those that could leave permanently this summer in order to reduce the squad as is wanted, and most have seen clubs take an interest in them.

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