Szmodics Closing in On Derby Switch
Monday, 2nd Feb 2026 20:10

Sammie Szmodics is closing in on a move to Derby County after the Rams made a late approach for the Republic of Ireland forward, TWTD understands.

A deal sheet is understood to have gone in ahead of the 7pm deadline with a loan rather than permanent switch looking on the cards given the timescale. Once a deal sheet has gone in, clubs have until 9pm to complete a move.

Derby, managed by Szmodics’s former Blackburn boss John Eustace, made an approach regarding a permanent deal for Szmodics late last week but no fee could be agreed between the clubs for the 30-year-old.

A loan move means Szmodics, who is contracted to Town until the summer of 2028, won’t be able to face the Blues when the teams meet at Pride Park on Saturday.

Wrexham, who also made an approach last week, looked elsewhere today, signing Bailey Cadamarteri from Sheffield Wednesday and Davis Keillor-Dunn from Barnsley, however, other Championship sides also showed loan interest on deadline day.

The Blues are reported to have made a number of offers to Millwall for 24-year-old winger Femi Azeez, however, claims Town were prepared to break the Lions’ transfer record to make the signing are believed to be wide of the mark. It’s likely Azeez was viewed as a potential replacement for Szmodics.

Town's only incoming business on deadline day were the expected additions of U21s players Ryan Doherty from Stevenage and Frankie Runham on loan from Chelsea.

Central midfielder Doherty, 17, joins on a permanent basis, while forward Runham, 19, is initially on loan but with the move set to be made permanent in the summer if an option is triggered.

Town had looked for a senior striker over the course of the window but ultimately brought no one in to add to their existing number nine options, George Hirst, Ivan Azon and Chuba Akpom.

It’s understood a number of potential new attacking recruits were put to manager Kieran McKenna but the Blues boss felt none were better than the players already at his disposal.

Elsewhere, former Blues loanee Kalvin Phillips joined Sheffield United on loan from Manchester City.

Photo: Matchday Images

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Leutard added 20:13 - Feb 2 I will be sad to see him go. Clearly didn't suit the way we were playing as much as would be liked, but he was energetic and unlucky with injuries
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FrimleyBlue added 20:14 - Feb 2 On the bright side, as a loan he cant score against us next week
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ringwoodblue added 20:20 - Feb 2 This is a strange move assuming we don’t have anyone else coming in. Leaves us one player down on the 25.
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blues1 added 20:26 - Feb 2 Ringwoodblue. Mcjenna,stated the other day that if Szmodics left, we wouldnt be replacing him. So although that will leave us on 24, will mean theres always tla,chance we could sign a,free agent at some point.
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Stato added 20:26 - Feb 2 Neil brought in on loan and Sammy goes for £3m (or maybe a bit more) and thats what we spent on Mehmeti. So not a penny spent really. What a gamble !! Board losing or lost faith in McKenna ?? Sack the recruitment team on Monday so that the new guys have time to prep for the summer. Our recruitment has not been fit for purpose during the McKenna era
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Monkey_Blue added 20:29 - Feb 2

Szmodics was 3rd/4th choice for the no10 role and even on the left side & right side there are at least 3 players ahead of him. He’s not a no9 and we all know how he reacts when he wants to move and a club says no. I don’t think we will look back and see him not being here as crucial to our season in the same way him being here hasn’t been crucial to our season. Got some big wages off the books for a few months and possibly a permanent deal come the summer.

ITFC_1994 added 20:34 - Feb 2

I'm generally a positive fan and still, as I always have, back McKenna to get us promoted this year. But the transfer business in the last 3 or 4 windows has been very poor.... Signing Sammy for so much included..... Unless I've forgotten anyone, I'd say Delap and Omari were our only successful signings in the prem. Clarke and Philogene have been great this season but ultumately not good enough for the prem.... Matusiwa, Kipre and Nunez our best signings of the summer. But after that...?? Not sure anyone has been a success. And so many poor / failed signings.

Why didn't we sign a proper ST in the summer?? Kone, Morris, Aygeymang, McBurnie, Makama, even Moore or Bamford were all available on the cheap and all better then what we have.

I feel a bit for Azon as he's being thrown in to the negative striker conversations because of how poor the other two are, I feel he's getting up to what we need but ultimately should be a very good 2nd or 3rd choice, not the main man.

Akpom has been awful and Hirst is so poor. Seen lots of people defending him and talking about how he was a huge part of the b2b promotions, but I can only recall about 5 decent performances from him in the last 3 years.... his goal record is appalling and his general play is just not good enough for where we need to be.

I think we will be OK... Once Nunez and Philogene are back we still have the best attacking players in the league. Just feel 2nd is there for the taking and a decent striker would have nearly guaranteed it. Will now be hard work but sure we will get there...

Kind of reminds me of the 13/14 season when we needed a striker to get us over the line... although we had Murphy and McGoldrick then so this is arguably worse...

As others have said, Mehmeti, Neil and a decent ST would have been nearly a 10/10 window. Now it's probably a 5 or 6.

Not all doom and gloom, win the next two and we'll all be happy again....

COYB

prebbs007 added 20:34 - Feb 2 This is an utter disgrace. No striker in and allow one of our better finishers to depart. This will make promotion much much harder. Our recruitment team and our manager (who apparently turned down the options put to him) will be to blame if we fail. Extremely disappointed and angry !!!!!!!!!!
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UEFAblue added 20:37 - Feb 2 Shocking recruitment yet again and likely to cost us automatic promotion. It’s amazing that 90% of fans can see we desperately need a goal scorer, but KM clearly thinks otherwise.
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PortmanTerrorist added 20:38 - Feb 2

If Sammy can still leave then perhaps we can still get a 9! If not then the Club will have failed the manager over an 11 month period....when we knew Delap could not stay.

As for Sammy, I just can't work out how or why we could not create a dynamic that worked for him and suspect he may well tear it up at Derby. Wish you will Sammy and sorry it didn't work out as hoped.

warktheline added 20:39 - Feb 2 There’s some real ‘entitled’ attitudes on here !
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Rozeeboy74 added 20:39 - Feb 2 Just stick him up top and feed him the ball. He's got the monkey off his back so just let him do what we got him in for.
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Dermot88 added 20:41 - Feb 2

Why are people melting at this.... recruitment since KM has not been fit for purpose SATO?? Im sure some people expect us to be a European great again. We were wallowing in league 1 3 years ago and have since done a back to back promotions (only the 5th team to do that) been in the premier league and are sitting near the top of the championship again. Recruitment has been the best its been since burley era PERIOD.... Go give your heads a wobble

Dermot88 added 20:41 - Feb 2

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BloomBlue added 20:43 - Feb 2 That gives a space in the squad for Raheem Sterling to join us
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Bluebass added 20:43 - Feb 2 With Sammy going g, our squad is 24? Is there still a possible late incomer? Otherwise, why let Sam go?
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gosblue added 20:44 - Feb 2 I imagine Sammie was interested in a move, otherwise he'd still be here. If we don't get promoted, he could still do a job for us in the Championship. If we go up, he'll probably be too far down the pecking order to get many starts. I think it's a good move for all parties. Good luck Sammie. Come and give us a wave on Saturday. I hope you get a standing ovation.
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gosblue added 20:45 - Feb 2 I imagine Sammie was interested in a move, otherwise he'd still be here. If we don't get promoted, he could still do a job for us in the Championship. If we go up, he'll probably be too far down the pecking order to get many starts. I think it's a good move for all parties. Good luck Sammie. Come and give us a wave on Saturday. I hope you get a standing ovation.
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atty added 20:46 - Feb 2 “None better than those at his disposal”. Jeez so much for our super recruitment software.
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pablo123 added 20:48 - Feb 2

We are certainly not finishing top 2 now , and if we do manage to stay in the playoffs we are nowhere near strong enough mentally or physically to win them imho !!! We desperately needed a finisher , azon and akpom try hard without doubt , but theyre not clinical enough , and hirst is awful full stop !! My guess is km will be off one way or another at the end of the season and we'll start to rebuild from there !! Massive chance missed in a poor league this season with our spending power , it gonna be much harder next season for sure

Marcus added 20:52 - Feb 2

While an additional number 9 would be ideal we've done well with what we've got to be in the top 5. We should compare against Leicester and Southampton for teams with first year parachute funds - we've done ok. We've had successful seasons where goals come from all over the pitch rather than just from a few strikers. A couple of poor recent results bookended a fine run. We have a tough February but perhaps the away games will be a good thing with less pressure from entitled fans.

KnoxvilleBlue82 added 20:58 - Feb 2

I do have a laugh when folks on here say things like "why can't Mckenna or Ashton see that why need a number 9"

Just because we haven't signed anyone doesn't mean we didn't try. There is a lot that goes into transfers, ultimately if players don't match our valuation or teams are trying to get us to pay more, then we shouldn't just overpay with no guarantee of results.

Yes not signing a number 9 does hurt us, as I feel with a proven goal scorer we would finish top two, but again who during this point of the season is going to part with a proven goal scorer without asking an arm and a leg.

churchmans added 21:01 - Feb 2 I really hope the move collapses! Szmodics carries more of a goal threat than akpom azon and hirst
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WalkRules added 21:12 - Feb 2

We already have "proven goalscorers" at least in previous seasons. The players, for one reason or another, are not hitting the target this season but who's to say anybody else would do better. I get the "we need to do something" group were crying out for a striker but let's get behind the players we have and support them. At the moment our moans and groans are hardly going to help.

RetroBlue added 21:13 - Feb 2 Its going to be interesting how many goals he scores for Derby. I suspect quite a few, which will be a damning indictment of how we dont get the best out of some of the in form players who transfer in to us.
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