Derby County midfielder Will Hughes is to remain with Derby County, and will not be signing for a Barclays Premier League side in the January transfer window, amid speculation about his future.
Chief executive Simon Rush has stated that the English prodigy will not leave Pride Park, and has reassured Derby supporters that Hughes will remain at the club for the long term.
Supporters of the club have feared that Steve McClaren’s recent transfer dealings could have paved the way for a Premier League move for Hughes.
McClaren has had a fine start at the East Midlands side, with the Rams sitting in 4th in the Championship after just one defeat since McClaren took the reigns at County, following the departure of long standing manager Nigel Clough, who was sacked after the defeat in the derby against Nottingham Forest in late September.
Rumours persisted that the Andre Wisdom loan move from Liverpool would have been a stepping stone for Hughes in a possible swap deal with the Anfield club, with Brenden Rodgers a keen admirer of Hughes.
But Rush assured supporters by saying: “Will is best placed in Derby.
“There is a huge amount for him to achieve here and I don’t feel commercially it is the right time for us to entertain any other discussions.
“You look at a variety of factors when you make a decision.
“Is it right for the player?
“Has he already maximised his contribution to the club – is there any more he can do for us?
“And is he at the height of his potential in income you can generate?
“The answer to all three is ‘no’.
“There have been few bigger investors in the Championship than our owners.
“I expect they will put their hands in their pockets once again.”
Hughes burst onto the scene at Pride Park last season, but has since become a key member of an ever improving Derby County side, with the youngster playing in 23 Championship games, scoring three goals in an impressive campaign for the Rams.
The bonde bombshell is also a target for the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea, aswell as Liverpool, even Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are chasing the highly rated midfielder.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
