Why Szmodics deal signals Derby's Premier League intent

The deadline day signing of forward Sammie Szmodics is proof of Derby County's ambition to reach the Premier League this season, says Rams chief executive Stephen Pearce.

The Republic of Ireland international, who has signed on loan until the end of the season, is the highest-profile capture in an astonishing recruitment drive with Derby bringing in 17 players across the past two transfer windows.

Since last season there has been a total of 36 player movements at Pride Park, with 19 departures underpinning the evolution of a side that only escaped relegation on the final day last season to become a play-off hopeful this term under head coach John Eustace.

Ipswich's Szmodics – who was the Championship top scorer in 2023-24 while at Blackburn playing under Eustace – brings a new level of attacking depth to a side that briefly managed to get into the top six a week ago.

"We wouldn't have just spent money in the January window on something that is just going to tick us over," Pearce told BBC Radio Derby.

"It was either going to be something for the long term, or something for the here and now that could be a perceived game-changer in that position. Sammie is the here and now.

"He's worked with John before, who has got the best out of him and we really hope that can happen again. There's no guarantees and there is risk with that, but we've done this to finish as high as possible."

It was less than four years ago that Derby were just a week away from going out of business.

Derbyshire property developer David Clowes bought the club out of administration after the Rams were relegated to League One.

Liam Rosenior, who is now manager of Chelsea in the Premier League, was relied on as interim boss to build a squad from scratch – having had only five players on the books at the time – with free agents and loan players.

It was not until the club's return to the Championship after two seasons in the third tier that the club paid a transfer fee of more than £1m for a player, with those off-loaded – including Max Bird's move to Bristol City and Eiran Cashin's £9m switch to Brighton – generating more money than additions made in that time.

This season, however, Derby have spent around £17m on recruits – including a record outlay of the Clowes era of £5.9m – which could rise to £7m – for 25-year-old United States international Patrick Agyemang in the summer.

"It's all within budget," Pearce added.

Pearce explained money raised from player sales – namely Cashin's move to the south coast – as well as well as spending below budgets drawn up by Clowes when in League One, alongside the strong performance of the club's commercial and hospitality arm, has allowed Derby to invest more heavily this season.

Still, it is money ploughed into a club that made a pre-tax loss of £11.3m last season and which was already spending £99 on wages for every £100 generated for the 12 months up to June 2025.

"From our perspective, we're not the biggest payers in the league," Pearce said.

"We operate within our means. And for us you've got to be able to compete so you will certain elements of the squad that are naturally paid more because of experience and other that aren't.

"But we always make sure that fits in the budget of where we are, the affordability of what we can do and looking forward."

Looking ahead at Derby these days, and what brought Eustace back to the Rams a year ago when they were in relegation trouble, was about ambitions to get back to the Premier League for the first time since 2008.

When asked how "Premier League ready" the club now is after recovering from near financial ruin to once again establish itself as team in the top half of the Championship, Pearce replied: "I think you've got to deal with it when it comes.

"I think we're always Premier League ready off the pitch with the facilities we've got and the backing that David and the Clowes [Development] board have given to us - it's helping driving the business forward.

"You've got to look at stadium, the training ground, facilities, all the things we've done in the background with staffing - how we're trying to take everything to that next level is all for that exact reason. We want to be Premier League ready."