Derby County will be feeling a tad anxious as they prepare for the new season.

After narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of last term the challenge for the Rams is to try and avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle again this time around.

Unfortunately it seems that it could be a long, hard season for Wayne Rooney's side who are yet to bring any players into the club.

With incomings proving troublesome due to a number of factors, Derby have a paper-thin squad at their disposal and with long-term injuries to Krystian Bielik and Jason Knight hanging over their heads, it means that Rooney's best XI for the start of the season could be all-but decided.

With that in mind here's a look at how his team could line up in the opening weeks of the season if no new additions come in.

It's quite possibly the only area on the pitch where Derby County have genuine competition for places.

The Rams flitted between Kelle Roos and David Marshall over the course of last term with the Scottish international playing the bulk of the matches in the Championship.

However with results needed it was Roos who was given the nod for the final three matches of the club's relegation battle.

It remains to be seen who Rooney will choose as his first choice for the campaign ahead but based on his trust for Roos in those final matches last term there's a good chance that the Dutch stopper will be given the nod here.

At right back we're giving the nod to Nathan Byrne.

The 29-year-old moved to Derby County last summer after leaving relegated Wigan Athletic and he certainly made a big impression for the club.

Byrne made 41 appearances for the Rams in all competitions and provided four assists, nailing down his spot as the club's best right-back.

There have been rumours of interest in the former Latics star but with nothing really coming to fruition it seems that Wayne Rooney will be hopeful of keeping him around in what's going to be a big season for the club.

Central defence is going to be a troublesome position this term.

Derby's central defenders last term were George Edmundson and Matt Clarke who joined the club from Rangers and Brighton respectively, but after heading back to their parent clubs they've both since moved on to pastures new.

Given Derby's transfer embargo it's proven impossible to replace them.

For Rooney it's likely to be a case of putting faith in some young players and that could see Eiran Cashin given an opportunity.

It would be a huge ask for the 19-year-old to slot in but if no new signings are made then Rooney may have little choice.

It's a similar situation for the second centre-back spot.

Options are limited for Derby County and that means that he may need to reshuffle his team in order to spread experience throughout the starting XI.

Thankfully for Rooney he has a talented young left-back (who we'll discuss shortly) and that means that Craig Forsyth could be tasked with taking one for the team and moving into central defence.

Forsyth is far from a natural in that area but given his experience he could be a decent makeshift option to plug the gap while Derby look for more accomplished signings.

It's set to be a big season for this lad.

Lee Buchanan is arguably one of the biggest talents in the Championship right now and given Derby County's situation the hope is that the 20-year-old can establish himself as a real star.

There has been transfer interest in his services but it seems that the Rams will not be wanting to lose the player this summer.

If they can keep hold of him then it'd be a huge surprise if Buchanan wasn't involved in the starting XI, however a thigh injury could mean that he will have to wait to make an impact.

Injuries to Jason Knight and Krystian Bielik mean that the centre of Derby County's midfielder sort of picks itself.

With that in mind Graeme Shinnie is a dead-cert to start if fit.

The 29-year-old has established himself as a core player for the Rams since moving to the club from Aberdeen in the the 2019-20 season.

Since then the defensive midfielder has made 70 appearances for the club and looks set to have a big campaign for Rooney's side as his experience and influence grows even further.

Given the inexperience around him, Shinnie will need to rise to the challenge.

One of Derby County's most talented young players.

Max Bird came through the youth academy with the club and has since really established himself as a first team player.

The 20-year-old made 34 appearances for the club last season, taking his overall tally for the Rams to 70 appearances.

Bird is getting better and better every season and given the likely opportunities that he'll be presented with this term it could be a real coming-of-age campaign for the player.

Another young talent who could be trusted with a bigger role at the club.

Louie Sibley really burst onto the scene in the 2019-20 campaign when he scored five goals in 11 appearances for the Rams with many suggesting that he was going to be the next big thing.

Last term was a little bit more of a grounding experience for the attacking midfielder, but don't let that dull his sparkle.

At 19 years of age Sibley is a player with real potential of being an absolute star for Derby County and with opportunities likely to present themselves then this could be the ideal platform for him to shine.

A player who fans will be expecting more from this term.

Kamil Jozwiak joined the club last summer but endured a frustrating debut season with Derby County in which he scored one goal and created just three in 41 appearances for the club.

It was hardly an ideal campaign for the 23-year-old to find his feet but the hope is that he'll be stronger for the experience.

Jozwiak has undoubted quality and given the challenges that the club are facing he's exactly the sort of player that Rooney will be hoping can step up to the plate and establish himself as a reliable first team player.

Derby County's new captain will have a big role to play this term.

Since moving to the club Tom Lawrence has been a reliable threat for the club in attacking areas, however last term was a little bit frustrating for the player.

Three goals and two assists over the course of the campaign is less than we expect from the 27-year-old and the hope is that this season he can kick on and be the central figure that everyone knows he can be.

Now that he's taken the armband fans will be hoping that he can really raise his game to help the club.

One of the few players to emerge from last season with any credit.

Colin Kazim-Richards was not expected to become the club's attacking talisman but he did exactly that after scoring eight goals for the club to help them to keep their heads above water in the right to avoid relegation.

Signing another striker is going to be a top priority for Wayne Rooney but in the meantime the onus will be on the 34-year-old to lead the line and provide crucial goals.

Of course he can't take that burden by himself, but the experience of Kazim-Richards will undoubtedly be a big aspect of the club's hopes of succeeding this term.