Last month, Nigel Pearson was appointed as the new manager of Derby County.

Pearson replaced interim boss Darren Wassall who guided Derby to a 5th place finished following Paul Clement's sacking.

He is still yet to assess the squad as some of the players are in France for Euro 2016. But transfer rumours have begun and it's likely that Nigel Pearson will have some idea already of what he wants to do with the squad.

Last season, Derby lost to Hull in the play-off semi finals and yet again missed out on promotion. The Rams also lost in the play-off final in 2014, before missing out on a top six finish altogether in 2015.

Derby is a club set for the Premier League, it has a good financial backing, a large fan base and good training facilities.

The squad that Pearson will inherit is a healthy one, but work is needed if the Rams are to achieve promotion to the top flight.

Football League World writer Rob Booth identifies FIVE players who could follow Derby to the iPro Stadium...

Jonathan Kodjia

Jonathan Kodjia

Kodjia is a player who has already been linked with a move to Derby.

The Bristol City striker netted 19 league goals last season, finishing as the fourth highest scorer in the Sky Bet Championship.

It's been rumoured on social media that Derby have had a bid rejected for Kodjia, and reports have stated that Bristol City want a lot of money for him if he was to leave.

The Frenchman scored bags of goals in a side who were threatened by relegation for most of last season, so in a team looking to be at the top of the table he would thrive.

Sone Aluko

Sone AlukoSone AlukoSone Aluko

Sone Aluko has also been linked with the Rams since Pearson's appointment.

Aluko has not been offered a new contract by Hull and will be available on a free transfer.

The striker could be an option for Derby since a quick, agile striker such as Aluko or Kodjia is needed. The fact that Aluko will be free may also appeal to Derby as it's unlikely that owner Mel Morris will want to spend over £20 million again.

Last season, Sone Aluko scored just 3 times in 31 games for the Tigers.

Richie De Laet

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Following Nigel Pearson's arrival at the iPro Stadium, he was instantly linked with members of his former Leicester squad.

Richie De Laet could be a target for Derby this summer, as Cyrus Christie is the only recognised right back in the whole squad following the departure of Isak Ssewankambo and the likely departure of Ryan Shotton.

The Belgian defender spent 3 months on loan at Middlesbrough last season, helping them win promotion. He also made 15 appearances for Claudio Ranieri's Leicester which was enough for him to receive a Premier League winners' medal.

Matty James

Matty James

Similarly to Richie De Laet, Matty James was linked with Derby following Pearson's appointment.

Matty James missed all of last season due to injury, but was an impressive player for the Foxes as they captured promotion in 2014.

James has made almost 100 appearances for the Foxes, 29 coming in the Premier League as he helped them to top flight survival in 2015, under Pearson's management.

Grant Hanley

Grant-Hanley_3076803

Hanley is the latest player to be linked with a move to Derby.

The reports have surfaced linking him to the iPro following Wigan's interest in Jake Buxton. Raul Albentosa also left Derby to join Malaga earlier this month, so Pearson could consider bringing in a new central defender.

However, Richard Keogh and Jason Shackell were a fantastic pairing at the back for Derby, so if Hanley were to join, his game time could be limited.

The Scotsman made 46 appearances in all competitions for Blackburn Rovers last season as they finished 15th in the Championship.

Derby fans... Do you agree that these five players could follow Nigel Pearson to Derby? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!