Derby County boss Wayne Rooney is expected to be handed a new three-year contract to remain at Pride Park, according to a report from Derbyshire Live.

The 36-year-old was appointed back in January 2021 by then-owner Mel Morris on a two-and-a-half year contract, with his deal in the East Midlands set to expire next summer.

Despite enduring a poor end to the 2020/21 campaign, with the Rams narrowly escaping relegation on the final day of the season, he has done a remarkable job under tough circumstances with a transfer embargo and 21-point deduction making survival all but impossible for Derby last term.

Last summer's embargo limited the number of players he could recruit and with his squad already threadbare at that point, further departures and an inability to sign players during January because of their entrance into administration meant the Manchester United legend was forced to use several youngsters throughout the season.

Despite coming up against this adversity, with their points deductions giving them a mountain to climb, they still finished above Barnsley and were even just five points adrift of safety back at one point in February before a poor run of form towards the end of 2021/22 ended their hopes to remaining afloat.

Regardless of this, Rooney has been rightly praised for his work over the past 12 months and may now be rewarded with a new three-year contract, with the club on the verge of being able to agree fresh terms with players and coaches as Chris Kirchner prepares to take the reins at Pride Park.

Although this takeover may not be sealed today, an announcement is expected tomorrow as the relegated side prepare to embark on a new journey under the American businessman.

The Verdict:

Getting Rooney tied down to a new deal has to be a top priority for the Rams, although they should be looking to address short-term issues first with the likes of Curtis Davies and Ryan Allsop both out of contract.

With the duo attracting second-tier interest, providing both with a formal offer will be crucial in retaining them and there are others whose future needs to be decided including Ravel Morrison who is also set to depart this summer unless he's tied down to a new deal.

Still, Rooney's contract should be dealt with as a reward for what he's been through over the past year. Conducting himself admirably throughout these 12 months of turmoil, he deserves certainty over his future just as much as anyone else.

They should be looking to get him tied down in the next few months too with the 36-year-old seemingly committed to the cause at this stage. With Everton looking set to continue under Frank Lampard and Erik Ten Hag being appointed at Manchester United, Derby supporters shouldn't have any concerns about him leaving in the short term.

But there is the possibility that one or both of those teams may have another managerial change during the 2022/23 campaign, so Derby need to move quickly to tie him down now and insert a hefty compensation clause into this fresh contract if they can.