Paul Warne claims he visited three players on Monday as the Derby County head coach makes his first moves in this summer’s transfer market.

The Rams are free to conduct business in nine days’ time when the market opens for business, with the club wanting to strengthen the spine of the team with a new goalkeeper, a new midfield and two forwards on the agenda.

Derby have been preparing their summer business since January in the expectation they would be back in the Championship which they eventually secured following a wonderful promotion from League One. Recruitment talks have been taking place frequently since the conclusion of the season and Warne has met players coveted by other teams.

And Warne, who was a guest on TalkSport today, said: “All football fans want to see their team make deals on day one, but that isn’t how it is. I’ve met players that, ‘quelle surprise’, other teams want as well. The ones that you grab early in the window, you either have to have the biggest purse or, potentially, the biggest personality.

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