Both Will Hughes and Tom Ince have been linked with moves away from Derby County in recent times.
Derby’s Tom Ince celebrates after scoring their first goal
Derby County finished the 2016/17 Sky Bet Championship season in ninth place after a 1-1 draw at Rotherham United.
Despite hopes of a late playoff push following the appointment of Gary Rowett as manager on March 14, the Rams eventually finished 13 points off a top six spot.
Yet there were promising signs under Rowett and having come so close in recent years, there is a genuine optimism among the Derby faithful that next term could represent a realistic promotion push.
However, the big task for their boss now will be keeping hold of their best players and the most appealing assets in his squad to Premier League suitors will be Will Hughes and Tom Ince.
Aged 22 and 25 respectively, the duo have age on their side but also experience, with Hughes having now played 188 times for the club while Ince scored 13 times in 44 appearances this campaign.
Derby County’s Will Hughes celebrates scoring their third goal
Ince was heavily linked with Newcastle United – who have since been promoted of course – in January by the Chronicle, while the Sun said Everton were keeping tabs on Hughes.
Rowett currently has one of the strongest squads in the division at his disposal, but if he is serious about promotion the players he holds onto will be just as important as those he brings in.
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