Derby have hit the jackpot with a star player worth £16m in 2024

Derby County will go into the Championship knowing that there is a harmonious blend of youth and experience in their ranks, which has made Paul Warne's men a tough team to beat in League One throughout the regular season.

Alongside homegrown talents like Eiran Cashin and Louie Sibley, the Rams have a wealth of professionals who have been and done it in the league above with Sonny Bradley, James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing being the first names in that regard. tasting three promotions up to the Premier League with Luton Town.

Warne will be hoping that none of his young stars move on in the summer to disrupt this harmony, although he has been involved in the transfer market before when he sold the former Academy star in 2005.

Tom Huddlestone's first spell at Derby

Returning 12 years older and wiser from his debut at Pride Park in 2017, having reached the top of Premier League football, Huddlestone's best years were largely spent away from his youth club.

Previously on the books for Derby's rivals Nottingham Forest during his youth, it would be with the Rams that Huddlestone would begin putting the wheels in place to continue a solid career in the top flight.

Prior to his big move to Tottenham Hotspur, Huddlestone impressed for Derbyshire in the Championship with three assists in 93 appearances as a teenager.

These promising numbers for the Rams must have caught the attention of Spurs, who signed the now 37-year-old for around £2.5m.

Derby will be left with regrets about signing the deal given how well their former youngster would have suited the demands of the Premier League, becoming a key fixture in many Spurs teams with 16 goals and 31 assists in 209 appearances.

By keeping an eye on TotallyMoney's Transfer Index, Derby would be paying more for their young star if the same deal were to happen in today's cheap market. Maybe it wasn't such a bad move after all?

Tom Huddlestone's transfer fee in 2024

Using the Transfer Index, Derby will now be laughing at a record £16.4m which would make Huddlestone the most expensive sale in Rams history by some distance.

Warne and Co will be hoping, if they have to part ways with the likes of Cashin this summer – who has had previous interest from Premier League players – that they can get him for as cheap as the £16.4m tied alongside Huddlestone. name.

Derby will be delighted to have been able to persuade Huddlestone to return to Pride Park in the final years of his senior career, finally breaking his Rams goalscoring record against Brentford after a combined 125 appearances in a Derby shirt.

The likes of Max Bird, who played in the center of the park after coming up through youth football, could do worse than model their game with Huddlestone who never looked back when he made his debut at Pride Park midfield. – they are bad.

Derby won't be fazed by the fear of losing many of their home gems just yet, however, they are still relishing the feeling of promotion while they can before the nitty and gritty of the next campaign becomes even more real.