26 Lee Buchanan

Lee Buchanan is another Academy graduate to have made the step-up from the youth ranks at Derby County and into the first-team set-up.

The left-sided defender, who can play at left-back or centre-back, was part of Derby’s Under-18 side that was named as National Champions during the 2018/19 season.

He was also named as an unused substitute for the Rams’ first-team in January 2019, in a 2-1 home win over Reading, as a reward for his progress at Under-18 and Under-23 level.

After impressing new manager Phillip Cocu ahead of the 2019/20 season in training, he was rewarded with the opportunity to showcase his talent further.

He made his professional bow in a Carabao Cup First Round victory at Scunthorpe United in August 2019 - and he marked the occasion with a stunning goal at Glanford Park in a 1-0 win.

Buchanan made a handful of appearances during the campaign, mostly continuing his progress with the Under-23s, and he also gained international honours for England at Under-19 level during the campaign.

He joined the Academy at Under-14 level and was rewarded for progression with a new contract until 2022 at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.