Rowett: ‘Returning Players Like New Additions’

Gary Rowett says Derby County’s returning loanees and injured players will be like ‘new additions’ to his squad.

Derby’s players report back for pre-season training towards the end of this month to begin preparations for the 2017/18 season.

On top of the arrival of Curtis Davies from Hull City, the Rams’ squad will also have a fresh look with several players returning from spells out on loan and out injured.

Chris Martin, Andreas Weimann and Jamie Hanson are yet to work with Rowett first-hand since his appointment in March, having had loan stints at Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic receptively.

On top of that, long-term injury victims George Thorne, Craig Forsyth, Jason Shackell, Max Lowe and Nick Blackman are also in line to start pre-season training.

Rowett feels Derby’s squad needs ‘freshening up’ this summer and he told RamsTV: “You have to remember that we have a lot of different players coming back from loan spells and injury.

“We’ve probably got around eight players that, although they have played before, will be like new additions to the group.

“At the same time, I have said it all along that I am open to opportunities for anyone if a bid comes in we feel can help us build the group in a different way, but that doesn’t mean to say that I don’t like the player.

“If you look at our group at the moment, we have four or five players at the moment that could play as a number 10 and that’s not healthy for any squad; it doesn’t help you build a real good team-spirit and camaraderie.

“With that, I think there is always the option to let one or two players go out, even if they are good players to give the rest of the squad more of an opportunity.”

It was reported in the media over recent days that Wolverhampton Wanderers have not taken up the option to signing Weimann permanently, following a half-season loan spell at Molineux.

Rowett is open to the prospect of working with the Austrian international forward, who moved to Derby two years ago from Aston Villa.

“I think Wolves told us that they weren’t going to take that option up which is fine,” he said.

“Andi is the type of player that fits a lot of the characteristics that we like and I think he will be a really strong addition to come back to the group.”