Derby County have reportedly reached an agreement with Swedish international goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, according to Swedish news outlet Expressen.
The report indicates that Derby and Djurgårdens IF have agreed on a deal potentially worth over £1.4 million with add-ons. The 26-year-old is expected to move to Pride Park soon.
Derby has been searching for a new goalkeeper since Joe Wildsmith’s departure, and the need became more urgent after a 4-0 pre-season loss to Chesterfield, where trialist keeper Rohan Luthra, formerly of Cardiff City, made a significant error, heightening fans’ concerns.
One challenge remains: Zetterstrom is scheduled to play in Europa League Qualifying matches for Djurgårdens against Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg, with the second leg on August 1. This means any deal would be finalized just a week before the Championship season starts.
Despite this, news of an agreed fee with Djurgårdens IF should ease concerns at Pride Park, marking a significant acquisition for Paul Warne’s side.
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom’s potential signing has excited Derby County fans. Shaun Woodward, a Derby County fan pundit for Football League World, believes Zetterstrom is worth the wait after Derby’s prolonged search for a new goalkeeper.
Speaking to Football League World, Shaun said, “It’s definitely worth the gamble if we can get Zetterstrom in.
“I know he’s got these Europa League qualifying games to play, but there must be something behind the scenes where Warne’s been told that he’s signing, so I think if he’s happy to wait a few weeks, then he’s doing that based on the fact he thinks he’s through the door.
“He would be an unbelievable signing for us. He’s 6ft 6in, played in Europe, played for his country, and is a real beast of a player who will give us presence at the back. I know it was only a friendly, but after last night (against Chesterfield), we could really use someone to shore up our defense.
“To me, he’s a marquee signing who would significantly enhance the team, and I’m looking forward to seeing him play.
“He’s definitely worth the wait and, worst case scenario, we’ve got Vickers, who’s not a bad goalkeeper, and if we had to stick with him, we’d just need someone as his backup, so it’s not the end of the world if Zetterstrom doesn’t come in.
“But he looks like an unbelievable signing and one that’s definitely worth waiting for.”
Currently, Derby has only one first-team goalkeeper, Josh Vickers, on their roster, which is not ideal preparation for their Championship campaign.
Former Cardiff City player Rohan Luthra is set to join after a trial, according to Sky Sports, but having spent last season on loan at Slough Town, he might not yet be ready for Championship play.
This makes signing Zetterstrom crucial for Derby. Even though they may have to wait until early August to secure his signature, he seems to be a quality player worth the wait. The 26-year-old has spent his entire career at Djurgårdens, making 111 appearances, conceding 110 goals, and keeping 46 clean sheets—a very impressive record.
Paul Warne will have to wait a bit longer before Zetterstrom officially becomes a Derby player, but the agreed fee is a positive step, and it looks like the Rams will finally secure their target in the coming weeks.