League One side Derby County will be looking to make a considerable number of signings before the new season starts, with plenty of names to recruit in their quest to get back to the second tier at the first time of asking.

The calibre of players they have recruited certainly cannot be questioned - but depth could be key in separating them and some of their potential promotion rivals - with Sheffield Wednesday one team likely to be competing at the top end.

The size of the club and the pulling power of Liam Rosenior will serve them well in the coming days, weeks and months as they try to seal more agreements, though they are limited in the players they can recruit with the Rams likely to be restricted to loan deals and free agents this summer.

Potentially likely to use up all five loan slots to give themselves the best chance of having a sufficient amount of depth, they will also need to continue taking a look at the free-agent market.

And with this, we have selected eight out-of-contract players they should be having a closer look at.

He only made three competitive appearances for Huddersfield Town last season - but Blackman could be a good stopper for Derby considering the previous experience he has under his belt in the EFL.

At 28, he could even end up being a long-term option for the Rams and after playing regularly with Sheffield United in the second tier during the 2017/18 campaign, also being a regular figure for Rotherham during 2020/21, the ex-Chelsea could be a suitable option to have even if they are promoted at the end of 2022/23.

Derby are seemingly on the lookout for another stopper and with Blackman potentially wanting first-team football over anything else at this stage, he may be prepared to accept a reasonably modest wage.

It's a move that would make sense for all parties.

31-year-old Nyland is yet to find a club since his departure from second-tier side Reading, who played him regularly during the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign.

He may have made a couple of errors during his time in Berkshire, including one huge one on the final day against Luton Town, but he would be an excellent addition in the third tier.

The Royals were limited in what they could offer the Norwegian because of the fact they were under an embargo, so that should give the Rams hope that they can agree a sensible wage package with the ex-Aston Villa man.

He could be an exceptional competition to have for Joe Wildsmith - and you would certainly back the duo to maximise each other's performance levels if the 31-year-old was to arrive.

The Rams are certainly in need of more depth at left-back with Lee Buchanan leaving for Werder Bremen and Craig Forsyth yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.

It's a shame Dylan Williams still isn't at the club - because he may have been provided with an opportunity to shine this pre-season ahead of potentially being included in the first team for the 2022/23 campaign.

33-year-old Taylor is one player they could probably lure to Boro considering the stature of the Rams, even though he could still probably do a good job in the second tier.

Being released from Middlesbrough and not yet being snapped up despite interest from abroad, it could be a good move by the third-tier side if they can get this potential deal over the line ahead of others.

Considering his lack of first-team football in recent times, it may be a gamble to recruit Mason but he could potentially be a good squad player for Derby.

If this move works out for the best, there's every chance they could sell him on in the future considering he's only 24 and that can only be a good thing in their quest to remain within the EFL's financial limits.

If Forsyth remains at Pride Park, he will only need a backup option and Mason could be the person that comes in to challenge him for a first-team spot after plying his trade with MK Dons during the second half of last term.

He may not have made an appearance for Liam Manning's time during his short stay in Buckinghamshire - but he had the chance to compete with some top-quality third-tier players and that could tee him up nicely for a move to Pride Park.

35-year-old Peltier showed real class at Boro last season despite only playing a limited role at the Riverside last term - and is renowned for his defensive solidity.

He may not be the biggest attacking asset to have - but is a good option to have and would be especially important in the third tier - potentially helping the likes of Curtis Davies and James Chester to maintain an excellent defensive record.

From his time at the Riverside last season though, he also showed he could get forward at times and as a player that can operate on both sides, he could be a great signing for the purpose of adding squad depth.

Also able to step up when needed, there would be no real downsides to this addition if they were able to pull it off.

Able to play both at right-back and centre-back, Thomas could be a useful addition for the Rams and they have already been linked with a move for him this summer.

He may not be an ideal first-choice option on the right-hand side, but like Peltier, the fact he can play in multiple positions could make him a useful player to have at Pride Park.

Although he only had a very limited opportunity to shine with Reading during the latter stages of last season, he certainly didn't disgrace himself during his two second-tier appearances and was a top player for AFC Wimbledon in the past too.

He may have been released by Crewe in January - but his spell with the Royals has put him in a much better position and with this - a move to the Rams may not be out of the question. It remains to be seen whether they follow up their interest though.

The 26-year-old is currently on trial at Portsmouth though, so they may need to move quickly if they want to get this signing over the line.

He may not have scored a single goal last season, but Campbell has shown in the past that can be a reliable contributor in the final third and Derby should be looking to pounce.

Considering his record last term, he may not be pursued by many or any second-tier side, so that could potentially provide the Rams with a brilliant opportunity to get this deal over the line.

Having plenty of experience under his belt in the top two tiers of English football as well, the 34-year-old player would be an ideal squad member to have in the third tier, even if he only stays at Pride Park for a year.

Whether the two parties would be able to come to an agreement regarding wages remains to be seen though.

Wickham has spent a considerable amount of his career on the sidelines but with the Rams only needing a backup option following the arrivals of James Collins and David McGoldrick, with the likes of Tom Barkhuizen and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing also able to play up top, they only need a backup option.

The ex-Crystal Palace man could be a valuable contributor from the bench if given the chance to ply his trade and though he remains on trial with Reading, their signing of Shane Long earlier this week may have affected his chances of remaining in Berkshire.

Derby could look to take advantage of this by getting a deal over the line and with the 29-year-old plying his trade at MK Dons for a bit towards the end of last term, he may be willing to accept a small wage.

That could be useful with the Rams needing to bring other players in too.