Derby County need to trim their squad ahead of the new season.
As confirmed by the club’s official website, Derby County have sold Spanish centre-back Raul Albentosa to La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna for an undisclosed fee.
It just never worked for the defender who arrived with the Rams 18 months ago, and the same can be said of a number of current players plying their trade at the iPro Stadium.
Derby’s only aim this coming season is promotion to the Premier League, and it’s getting to the stage where it’s becoming more of a necessity after three years of coming perilously close but falling just short.
Over that time, the club have tried to put together the final pieces of the jigsaw but in doing so they’ve only increased the squad to somewhat overblown proportions.
Aside from boasting six top quality central midfielder, eight forward players and three goalkeepers capable of playing at Championship level, the club still need to cut down in defence.
Albentosa and Ryan Shotton have left, and next on the list to go should be former Reading man Alex Pearce.
The signing of the 27-year-old last summer was bizarre, especially considering the club had Jake Buxton, Richard Keogh, Farrend Rawson plus the two now sold defenders on their books and were intent on signing Jason Shackell from Burnley.
Why did the club need so many central defenders? And why weren’t other pressing areas strengthened instead? Derby’s recruitment over the past 18 months has been odd to say the least.
Pearce didn’t manage a single Championship appearance for the Rams last term, and six months in to his three-year deal at Derby he was farmed out on loan to fellow Championship side Bristol City.
With Derby still stacked in central defence, there seems little point keeping him on board and his exit should allow new boss Nigel Pearson further room to strengthen in more pressing areas.
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