Derby have struck gold in the Rooney gem who has become more important than the rest of the squad

Derby County have been building a much-talked-about reputation for being a club willing to give their young stars a chance for a long time, before allowing them to develop into first-team players.

The likes of Eiran Cashin, Max Bird and Louie Sibley have all had to rise through the ranks at Pride Park from playing youth football to becoming the best players in recent memory, with Bird even winning himself a move to Bristol City back. of a good few years in and around the first team in Derbyshire.

Cashin has also been offered a move away from the Premier League by Paul Warne's men in the past, with Brighton and Hove Albion reportedly eyeing the promising Irish defender.

While selling Cashin down will no doubt add significant cash to Pride Park's coffers, just as Bird's departure will have made the club profitable, Derby will be laughing at the prospect of one of their forgotten youth gems. serious money for those mentioned.

Omari Kellyman's big move to Chelsea

Many with loose links to Derby are likely to put the fact that Omari Kellyman was once on the books at Derby in the back of their heads, with the current Aston Villa star playing at youth level for the Rams for a decade, before Villa Park beckoned. .

The Derby-born midfielder has made just six first-team appearances for Unai Emery's men since joining in 2022, but has left a lasting impression on Chelsea's wealthy bosses, with Kellyman marking a £19m move to Stamford Bridge.

There have been many who have questioned the exorbitant price tag placed on Kellyman's head, given his lack of Premier League experience at his current employers, but Chelsea will continue to flex their financial muscles in any open transfer market, at 18. -create their next creative shoot.

No one back in Derbyshire would have expected Kellyman to demand such a windfall just two years on from Pride Park, with the England U20 international being sold before he could fully break into the Rams' men's game, along with the aforementioned Cashin. and other well-known Derby youth products.

Kellyman's rise from Derby

Kellyman was an unassuming youngster trying to cut his teeth in the big leagues while on the Rams roster, patiently waiting for first-team opportunities to come his way.

Villa's number 71 would end up making five appearances for Derby U18s before Villa swooped in to steal his services, amid Derby's financial woes, but the lad's name would have been on the lips of many a Rams fan when he was given a place on the bench by Wayne Rooney, during Manchester United's legendary past -Pride Park is excavated.

That rare shot at the big picture would happen in November 2021, with Kellyman watching from the bench as Derby beat AFC Bournemouth 3-2, jealous of the likes of Max Knight – another from the Rams' youth production line. – playing front and centre, while the 18-year-old watched wide-eyed and eager from the sidelines.

Villa's gamble to sign Kellyman for £600k has more than paid off, however, with Emery and Co splashing out a staggering £19m now that his move to Chelsea has been confirmed, due to a move to Derby for a hefty, reported fee. of £4.75m coming the way of the Championship side.

Scoring eight goals for the U21s last season, it was no surprise to see the bright spark given first-team opportunities here and there, with Kellyman playing in the Europa Conference League under Emery's watchful eye.

That was a short-lived appearance, however, with the 18-year-old left-footed averaging just 18 minutes in those two Premier League chances, so Chelsea's big-money move has rightly raised a few eyebrows.

Still, Derby won't be too concerned if their former Academy winger struggles at Stamford Bridge or ends up flourishing with all the pressure on his shoulders, knowing they'll be seeing significant money coming his way no matter what, with Kellyman's £19m fee. making him more expensive than the entire Rams team combined, according to Transfermarkt,

The accumulated value of the Derby camp stands at £10m in stark contrast, which really shows how big a price Chelsea have paid for an unproven youngster.

Derby cash injection from Kellyman's auction

The reported £4.75m that Derby could set aside for Kellyman's big move to West London is more money than any player in the Rams camp is currently worth, as is a football transfer, with Cashin the Championship the most valuable asset. £1.4m less geographically.

Furthermore, the predicted cash flow would not be far from entering the top five records that have left Pride Park in recent times, with Tom Ince breaking into last place in the list below with £7.5m left.

Villa are the clear winners of this sale, however, as Emery and Co are eyeing up some impressive new signings ahead of their next Champions League campaign, putting their £19m to good use.

The Rams will also be eager to spend the money they are set to receive on adding new stars to the building before the quality increases, because they know those millions can go a long way in getting players with Championship experience to help. keep the club bouncing again in the second phase.

There may be some regrets about Derby's fate that they didn't keep Kellyman for longer, but their hands were tied behind their backs when he was snapped up by Villa due to their insecurity off the field, they will willingly admit. they took the money they would get from Kellyman joining Enzo Maresca's men without much complaint.