Derby County are set to make their first signing of the January transfer window with Danish midfielder Oscar Fraulo joining from Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 22-year-old is set to join for a cross-border compensation fee of between €300,000-400,000.
The club have been chasing him for a year, a time span that pre-dates interim recruitment lead Leigh Bromby and head coach John Eustace so this would fall into the category of an asset for the future alongside the likes of Patrick Agyemang, Max Johnston and Sondre Langas.
Eustace confirmed as much to BBC Radio Derby last night, following defeat at Leicester City, suggesting “the club have been looking at him for a while” and he could be “one for the future”.
When Derby went for Fraulo last season, they were not alone in their pursuit and offers entered the multi-millions for his services. It has not gone exactly to plan for him since then.
Upon signing for the Rams, he will have played just 40 minutes of competitive football so far this season and will arrive with an independent training programme to get him up to speed with the demands of the Championship and the team.
Derby made training-related mistakes in the January market last season with both winter recruits, Langas and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, picking up serious knee injuries after being thrown straight in.
The position John Eustace has lacked is that player to unpick a defence and progress the Rams up the pitch.
Can a 22-year-old in his first experience of English football be the answer when fully up to speed? Or will there be more reinforcements for the here and now?
We will find out across the month but this deal is certainly one with an eye into the summer and beyond.
