John Eustace is pursuing a summer move for Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson as he looks to strengthen his Derby County squad ahead of the new season.
"We're looking at several options to improve our defensive line, and players with Championship experience are certainly on our radar," – the Derby manager might say about his transfer targets.
Sanderson, 25, has fallen out of favor at "Birmingham" under Chris Davies despite starting last season in the first team. The center-back quickly lost his place to eventual Player of the Year Christoph Klarer before being shipped out on loan to "Blackburn Rovers" in January.
Interestingly, this potential move would mark the fourth time Eustace and Sanderson have worked together. The Derby boss previously coached the defender at "Queens Park Rangers" and "Birmingham", and was in charge at Blackburn when they secured his loan services earlier this year.
The £2million signing from "Wolverhampton Wanderers" made just two League One appearances for Birmingham before Christmas, followed by 12 Championship outings during his Blackburn loan spell.
"Birmingham" seem ready to part ways with Sanderson as they've already strengthened their defensive options with the addition of Phil Neumann this summer. The club is also reportedly interested in bringing back Ben Davies following his successful loan stint from "Rangers".
For Derby, who secured promotion back to the Championship last season, adding experienced defenders will be crucial. Can Eustace's previous relationship with Sanderson help seal the deal? The coming weeks should tell.
