Paul Warne has disclosed that Derby County is actively pursuing several transfer deals “under the surface” as they gear up for their return to the Championship. Following the departure of seven players after their League One promotion, the club has already brought in seven new additions.

Among the latest arrivals is David Ozoh, who played 70 minutes in Derby’s 2-1 pre-season friendly loss to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday. He was substituted in the second half by Ebou Adams. Fans also got a glimpse of Ben Osborn, Jerry Yates, Kenzo Goudmijn, and Kayden Jackson during the match.

Although Warne indicated that no immediate signings are expected, Derby is still active in the transfer market. With upcoming pre-season fixtures against Barnsley and Real Valladolid, the club is racing to finalize new additions before their season opener against Blackburn Rovers on Friday, August 9. Warne mentioned an upcoming video meeting with a potential recruit next week, and other negotiations are ongoing. Patience is required, especially for loan deals involving players from higher-tier clubs.

Warne explained, “Honestly, no, I don’t expect any immediate signings. I have a Zoom call with a player on Tuesday, but we need to wait until he joins the club. Another deal is in the works, and two others are progressing but won’t remain available indefinitely. By the time I leave this stadium, you might know who one of them is! Another loan deal is also in progress. We have our targets to strengthen the team, but nothing is certain until they’re here.”

He added, “We’ve focused on enhancing the frontline and have released several midfielders, either through sales or letting them go. We’ve bolstered the midfield a bit and identified the need for another central defender and a goalkeeper. We’re close to finalizing deals, but later loan moves require patience. Hopefully, we’ll secure them before the transfer window closes, preferably before the Blackburn game.”