The 2025–26 season was Derby County's 127th season in the Football League and their 56th in the second tier of English football. It was their second consecutive season in the Championship. They also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

Players

No. Name Position Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed Fee Contract ends Goalkeepers 1 Jacob Widell Zetterström GK Djurgården 2024 Undisclosed 2027 12 Richard O'Donnell GK Blackpool 2025 Free 2027 31 Josh Vickers GK Rotherham United 2023 Free 2029 51 Harley Price GK Academy 2023 52 Jack Thompson GK Academy 2023 2026 Defenders 2 Derry Murkin LB FC Utrecht 2026 Undisclosed 2029 3 Craig Forsyth LB Watford 2013 £150,000 2027 4 Danny Batth CB Blackburn Rovers 2025 Free 2026 5 Matt Clarke CB Middlesbrough 2025 Undisclosed 2028 6 Sondre Langås CB Viking 2025 Undisclosed 2029 20 Callum Elder LB Hull City 2023 Free 2026 22 Max Johnston RB Sturm Graz 2025 Undisclosed 2029 28 Dion Sanderson CB Birmingham City 2026 Undisclosed 2028 44 Isaac Gordon RB Academy 2023 2027 53 Rio Canoville CB Academy 2024 2028 Midfielders 16 Liam Thompson CM Academy 2018 2027 18 David Ozoh DM Crystal Palace 2025 Loan 2026 19 Sammie Szmodics AM Ipswich Town 2026 Loan 2026 23 Joe Ward RM Peterborough United 2023 Free 2027 27 Lewis Travis DM Blackburn Rovers 2025 Undisclosed 2029 29 Oscar Fraulo CM Borussia Mönchengladbach 2026 Undisclosed 2029 37 Owen Eames CM Academy 2023 2029 42 Bobby Clark CM Red Bull Salzburg 2025 Loan 2026 45 Charlie Smith CM Academy 2025 2028 54 Cruz Allen AM Academy 2023 2026 Forwards 7 Patrick Agyemang CF Charlotte 2025 Undisclosed 2029 9 Carlton Morris CF Luton Town 2025 Undisclosed 2028 10 Rhian Brewster CF Sheffield United 2025 Free 2027 15 Lars-Jørgen Salvesen CF Viking 2025 Undisclosed 2027 25 Ben Brereton Díaz CF Southampton 2025 Loan 2026 34 Jaydon Banel LW Burnley 2026 Loan 2026 Out on loan 8 Ben Osborn CM Sheffield United 2024 Free 2026 11 Corey Blackett-Taylor LW Charlton Athletic 2024 Free 2027 14 Andreas Weimann AM Blackburn Rovers 2025 Free 2026 17 Kenzo Goudmijn CM AZ Alkmaar 2024 Undisclosed 2028 21 Jake Rooney CB Burnley 2022 Free 2026 24 Ryan Nyambe RB Free Agent 2023 2027 39 Dajaune Brown CF Academy 2022 2027 48 Lennon Wheeldon CF Academy 2022

Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 26 June 2025 CF Carlton Morris Luton Town Undisclosed 1 July 2025 CB Danny Batth Blackburn Rovers Free GK Richard O'Donnell Blackpool AM Andreas Weimann Blackburn Rovers 15 July 2025 CF Patrick Agyemang Charlotte Undisclosed 31 July 2025 RW Cameron Wilson Aberdeen 1 August 2025 CF Rhian Brewster Sheffield United Free 14 August 2025 CM Jamie Wähling TSG Hoffenheim 27 August 2025 RB Max Johnston Sturm Graz Undisclosed DM Lewis Travis Blackburn Rovers 17 October 2025 GK Sam Kane Queen's Park 1 January 2026 CB Dion Sanderson Birmingham City 2 January 2026 CM Oscar Fraulo Borussia Mönchengladbach 2 February 2026 LB Derry Murkin FC Utrecht CB Raymond Offor Shelbourne

Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 1 June 2025 RW Nathaniel Mendez-Laing Milton Keynes Dons Undisclosed 31 August 2025 RB Kane Wilson 2 January 2026 DM Darren Robinson Doncaster Rovers 15 January 2026 CB Curtis Nelson Milton Keynes Dons 16 January 2026 CM Ebou Adams Portsmouth 30 January 2026 CF Kayden Jackson Bradford City

Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromDate untilRef. 25 July 2025 LB Owen Beck Liverpool 4 January 2026 29 July 2025 DM David Ozoh Crystal Palace 31 May 2026 5 August 2025 CM Bobby Clark Red Bull Salzburg CB Dion Sanderson Birmingham City 31 December 2025 31 August 2025 CF Ben Brereton Díaz Southampton 31 May 2026 29 January 2026 LW Jaydon Banel Burnley 2 February 2026 AM Sammie Szmodics Ipswich Town

Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToDate untilRef. 18 July 2025 CB Dan Cox Walsall 5 January 2026 28 July 2025 DM Darren Robinson St Patrick's Athletic 30 November 2025 8 August 2025 GK Harry Evans Coleraine 4 January 2026 12 August 2025 GK Jack Thompson Worcester City 9 September 2025 27 August 2025 CF Dajaune Brown Port Vale 31 May 2026 1 September 2025 CM Ben Osborn Stockport County CB Jake Rooney Barnsley 1 January 2026 4 September 2025 CM Kenzo Goudmijn Go Ahead Eagles 30 June 2026 DM Harry Hawkins Bedford Town 4 October 2025 GK Harley Price Worcester City 2 January 2026 25 October 2025 GK Jack Thompson Braintree Town 20 December 2025 31 October 2025 DM Harry Hawkins Alfreton Town 2 January 2026 4 November 2025 CF Lennon Wheeldon South Shields 31 May 2026 20 November 2025 GK Richard O'Donnell Grimsby Town 27 November 2025 8 January 2026 GK Sam Kane Worcester City 31 May 2026 9 January 2026 CB Dan Cox Wealdstone 7 February 2026 LB Tristan Gill Buxton 21 January 2026 RB Ryan Nyambe Reading 31 May 2026 27 January 2026 LW Corey Blackett-Taylor Bolton Wanderers 30 January 2026 CB Jake Rooney Boston United 2 February 2026 RB Freddie Turley Dunfermline Athletic 5 February 2026 AM Andreas Weimann Rapid Vienna 30 June 2026 6 February 2026 DM Harry Hawkins Barwell 7 March 2026 13 February 2026 CM Marsel Tola Stafford Rangers 11 March 2026 18 February 2026 LB Billy Gough Barwell 17 March 2026 20 February 2026 GK Harley Price Peterborough Sports 22 March 2026 6 March 2026 RB Jack Perry Barwell 5 April 2026 24 March 2026 CB Adisa Osayande Stafford Rangers 31 May 2026 25 March 2026 CB Dan Cox Solihull Moors 26 March 2026 GK Harry Evans Buxton 27 March 2026 CM Niall McAndrew South Shields RW Cameron Wilson Worcester City

Released / Out of Contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.30 June 2025 CB Sonny Bradley Lincoln City 1 July 2025 CM Tyrese Fornah Northampton Town CF Emmanuel Ilesanmi AFC Telford United 3 July 2025 CF Conor Washington Matlock Town 18 July 2025 RB Max Bardell Buxton 24 July 2025 RW Tom Barkhuizen Barrow 29 July 2025 LB Riley Moloney NC State Wolfpack 1 August 2025 CF Tony Weston Curzon Ashton GK Josh Shattell Whitehawk 8 August 2025 CM Alex Stepien-Iwumene Bromley CF Kemar Roofe Walsall 14 November 2025 GK Rohan Luthra Bedford Town 27 January 2026 LB Erik Pieters CM Jeff Hendrick

New Contract DatePos.PlayerContract untilRef. 23 June 2025 LB Craig Forsyth 30 June 2027 1 July 2025 GK Harry Evans 30 June 2026 CM Liam Thompson 30 June 2027 8 July 2025 CB Luke Banks Undisclosed CM Owen Eames RB Isaac Gordon CF Justin Oguntolu CB Adisa Osayande LW Johnson Osong GK Harley Price CM Marsel Tola 23 January 2026 CM Owen Eames 30 June 2029 27 January 2026 GK Josh Vickers 13 March 2026 RM Joe Ward 30 June 2027 19 March 2026 GK Richard O'Donnell 15 May 2026 CM Niall McAndrew Undisclosed RW Jerome Richards CB Keilen Robinson

Pre-season and friendlies On 16 May, Derby County announced a pre-season training camp in Tyrol, Austria between 14–19 July 2025, including a friendly against Red Bull Salzburg. Three days later, the club confirmed their pre-season preparations would begin with a trip to face Matlock Town. A second friendly was later confirmed, against Burton Albion for the Bass Charity Vase. A third was later added, against Walsall. On 30 June, a fifth pre-season friendly was announced against Solihull Moors. A home friendly fixture against Atromitos was also announced.

Competitions

Overall record

Championship

League table

Results summary

Results by round

Matches On 26 June, the Championship fixtures were released, with Derby visiting Stoke City on the opening weekend.

FA Cup

Derby were drawn at home to Leeds United in the third round.

EFL Cup

Derby were drawn away to West Bromwich Albion in the first round and to Burnley in the second round.

Statistics Appearances and goals Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate a loaned in player

|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:

References