Derby sign Monchengladbach midfielder Fraulo

Derby County have signed Danish midfielder Oscar Fraulo from German Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

The 22-year-old joins the Championship side for a compensation fee, thought to be between £250,000 and £350,000.

Fraulo, who has played only 40 minutes of football across four league games for Gladbach this season, was in the final months of his contract at Borussia-Park.

He has made just seven appearances for the German side since moving there from Midtjylland in 2022, although he spent the past two seasons out on loan with Dutch club Utrecht, where he managed to score five goals in 59 league games.

The Rams have pursued Fraulo's services for the past year, with the player himself saying he has "known about Derby for some time".

"Especially in the last months, I've had some good talks with the club," he told Derby's website.

"Before the [transfer] window, I was already 100% sure I wanted to play here and I could see myself in the project.

"It's a club with ambition and I also have big ambitions."

Dominic Dietrich, BBC Radio Derby senior sports journalist

The club have been chasing Oscar Fraulo for a year, a time span that pre-dates interim recruitment lead Leigh Bromby and head coach John Eustace, so this would fall into the category of an asset for the future alongside the likes of Patrick Agyemang, Max Johnston and Sondre Langas.

Eustace confirmed as much to BBC Radio Derby on Monday, following defeat at Leicester City, suggesting "the club have been looking at him for a while" and he could be "one for the future".

When Derby went for Fraulo last season, they were not alone in their pursuit and offers entered the multi-millions for his services. It has not gone exactly to plan for him since then.

Upon signing for the Rams, he will have played just 40 minutes of competitive football so far this season and will arrive with an independent training programme to get him up to speed with the demands of the Championship and the team.

The position Eustace has lacked is that player to unpick a defence and progress the Rams up the pitch.

Can a 22-year-old in his first experience of English football be the answer when fully up to speed? Or will there be more reinforcements for the here and now?

We will find out across the month but this deal is certainly one with an eye into the summer and beyond.