Why Derby County should make a January swoop for Bruno Gaspar
According to a report from Sky Sports, Derby County manager Frank Lampard would be willing to let right-back Jayden Bogle leave in January if the fee is right.
Jayden Bogle, 18, has improved leaps and bounds under the watchful eyes of Frank Lampard and has fought off competition from the experienced Andre Wisdom to establish himself as Derby’s first-choice right-back. The teenager has made 26 appearances all competitions, impressing with his all-round displays this season.
However, Bogle’s rich vein of form has caught the eye of Burnley, who could make a move this month as manager Sean Dyche aims to beat the drop. And amidst interest from Burnley, Lampard would be willing to let Bogle leave in January if the right deal can be agreed between the two clubs.
It’s baffling that Lampard is willing to let Bogle go if the right offer is tabled this month. Bogle is one of the Championship’s sublime young talents and Derby should look to utilise that talent as much as possible.
The 18-year-old certainly has a bright future ahead of him but Lampard is the manager and he is probably taking this decision in the Rams’ best interests.
Should Derby sell Bogle, Lampard would be left with Andre Wisdom and Ikechi Anya. Ikechi Anya has not played a single game this season as he has been completely frozen out of the first-team by Lampard.
That leaves Derby with only Wisdom as an option at right-back but Lampard simply cannot dream of achieving promotion without strengthening the squad. With this in mind, Derby should target Sporting CP right-back, Bruno Gaspar.
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A product of the Benfica youth academy, Bruno Gaspar has spent most of his career so far in Portugal barring the 2017-18 season with Fiorentina. The defender couldn’t adapt himself to Italian football and returned to his homeland after just a season, signing a five-year deal with Sporting last year.
Bruno Gaspar, 25, is back to his best after joining Sporting and is currently impressing with his performances. A modern attack-minded full-back, the 25-year-old is known for his pace, drive, skills and tackling.
While he is a good crosser of the ball from the wide areas, the former U21 Portugal international also likes to link up the play and sets up his teammates with important passes.
Gaspar’s game isn’t just about attacking as he is equally diligent when it comes to defending. His pace, agility and sharpness allow him to track back and make recovery runs to cut out the attacks, while his positional awareness and game-reading skills make him a valuable asset to the backline.
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Someone like Gaspar would be a fantastic addition to the Derby backline and Lampard should go all out to sign him in the ongoing transfer window.