Academy graduate Lee Buchanan has signed a contract extension with Derby County.


The 19-year-old has committed his future with the Rams until the summer of 2022 after putting pen-to-paper.

The left-sided defender enjoyed a positive breakthrough campaign during the 2019/20 season under manager Phillip Cocu.

Buchanan made seven appearances in all competitions, alongside recording regular match minutes for the Rams’ Under-23 side.

He made five league appearances during the season, of which three were starts, alongside two outings in the Carabao Cup.

In addition, Buchanan was also capped three times by England at Under-19 level during the campaign.


Derby’s 2018/19 Scholar of the Year marked his first-ever career appearance with a superb goal in the 1-0 victory at Scunthorpe United in the First Round of the Carabao Cup last August.

Buchanan joined Derby’s Academy, headed up by Academy Director Darren Wassall, at the age of 14.

The left-back was a key member of the Rams’ Under-18 side which lifted the Under-18 Premier League title in 2018/19.

Their success on the pitch resulted in Derby competing in the UEFA Youth League during the 2019/20 campaign and Buchanan gained valuable experience by featuring in the competition.

He was one of six Academy graduates to make their first-team bow under Cocu during the 2019/20 season.


Jason Knight, Louie Sibley, Morgan Whittaker, Jordan Brown and Jahmal Hector-Ingram also made their first senior appearances across the campaign.