Should Derby County make move for Burton Albion’s Matt Palmer?

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Derby County could make a number of additions in the summer transfer window.

New Derby County manager Gary Rowett looks set to invest heavily in his squad this summer, as he looks to find a way to finally get the Rams back to the Premier League.

Derby have continuously fallen short of promotion in recent years, with the Midlands side spending the last eight years at Championship level.

The Rams look almost certain to be in the second tier next season, and Rowett is expected to make a number of alterations to their squad, as he looks to put his stamp on the side.

And Rowett could turn to his former club, Burton, as he scours the market for potential additions.

Back in 2013, Rowett claimed that Burton midfielder Matt Palmer was comparable in quality to that of Derby’s Will Hughes, after the two sides met in a friendly match.

“The amazing thing is that you are talking about Will Hughes in the £10million bracket (and) at times Matty Palmer looked almost as good in parts of the game,” Rowett said to the Burton Mail.

“He knows the game and has vision. I’d like him to use that further forwards but he’ll learn that with time. He’s not surprising me. He’s got so much ability. Physically he is developing nicely.

“The way he’s performing at the moment means age no longer comes into it. The other midfielders will be looking over their shoulders soon.”

Palmer has continued to go from strength to strength since then, and he has established himself a key part of Burton’s first-team squad during their first campaign at Championship level.

The 22-year-old looks to have an extremely bright future, and Derby may have a chance to place him on their wishlist.

The Rams have acted to secure Will Hughes’ long-term future, with the England youth international signing a long-term contract at Pride Park recently, but a player of his quality will not be happy without top flight football for too long.

And if Rowett does see Palmer as a potential Hughes replacement, then Derby should make a move this summer – just in case their star midfielder does depart at some point in the future.