Derby County’s summer recruitment blitz shows no signs of slowing down, with the club poised to secure their 9th signing of the window in the form of goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
The Rams will be looking to bounce back from their opening day 4-2 defeat away at Blackburn Rovers when they take on Middlesbrough this weekend. Manager Paul Warne will be wary of his side’s defensive shortcomings in the loss, particularly the underwhelming performance from young center-back Eiran Cashin.
Warne will be hoping the imminent arrival of Widell Zetterstrom can shore up the Derby backline as they seek to mount a promotion push in the Championship this season. The 26-year-old Swedish international has been the subject of a £1.4 million bid from the Rams, which appears to have been accepted by his current club Djurgardens.
Widell Zetterstrom’s impending move to Pride Park comes as he was spotted bidding farewell to his Djurgardens teammates following their 3-1 Europa Conference League victory on Thursday evening. One fan on X wrote: “Thanks for everything JWZ” – a clear sign the goalkeeper’s time at the Swedish club is coming to an end.
With Josh Vickers the only senior goalkeeper at Derby so far this campaign, the acquisition of Widell Zetterstrom has become a pressing priority for Warne. The manager has made no secret of his desire to bring in an experienced shot-stopper to provide quality competition and cover between the sticks.
Widell Zetterstrom’s potential arrival could make or break Derby’s season. The towering Swede will be tasked with shoring up a defense that looked porous against Blackburn, and will need to hit the ground running if the Rams are to have any hope of survival in the ultra-competitive Championship.
While the signing of Widell Zetterstrom represents a coup for Derby, Warne will be wary of piling too much expectation on the new recruit. Time must be afforded for the goalkeeper to adapt to the rigors of English football, with Derby’s very survival potentially hinging on his performances.
Nevertheless, the capture of Widell Zetterstrom represents another impressive feather in the cap of Derby’s summer recruitment drive. With 9 new faces now set to walk through the doors at Pride Park, Warne will be hoping his new-look squad can gel quickly and mount a serious challenge in the Championship this season.
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