Derby County's season could go one of two ways in the final games of the Sky Bet Championship and the Rams will just be eager to try and fall over the line to safety if they can.

It's been a campaign to forget for the Rams under Wayne Rooney and questions will be asked in the off-season as to why such a tail off has happened in recent weeks.

That will have to wait for now, though, as they look to preserve their Championship status and there can be no denying that the final games of the season are huge for Derby's immediate future in terms of planning for signings and exits.

With that in mind, we've had an early stab and what the Derby side could look like this season providing they stay up in the second tier - though it obviously remains to be seen what happens with so many factors still at play...

Kelle Roos has been given the nod in recent weeks but let's assume that David Marshall goes to the European Championships with Scotland, has a good tournament, and wins his spot back in the side.

For many Derby fans, he is the better 'keeper and some are a bit surprised that Roos has kept his spot in this recent run that they have had with defeat after defeat coming.

Providing they are in the Championship next season, Marshall is a player that should be involved in-between the sticks and if Rooney cannot assure him of that he'll surely be looking to move on and play elsewhere.

Akin Odimayo could well be at Derby next season and come in for George Edmundson who is only on loan from Rangers at the moment.

The young defender has impressed at Swindon Town this season despite their woes in League One and it seems quite likely that they are going to be losing him in the summer window to another side in the EFL.

Teamtalk has reported that the likes of Derby and Stoke City have been monitoring him this season and so the Rams may look to move for him.

Matt Clarke has once again been a regular for Derby County this season on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion with him making 40 appearances so far in the Championship for the club.

Indeed, he's been associated more with the Rams than Brighton in recent years and there is every chance that he'll remain at Pride Park next season, too.

Brighton have some very good defensive options at the moment and if they keep the likes of Ben White and Lewis Dunk for another season in the Premier League then it is hard to see where Clarke comes in.

Teden Mengi is a player Derby fans are now familiar with after his loan spell from Manchester United but he found it, unfortunately, cut short by injury and has recently returned to Old Trafford to see out his recovery period.

However, we know that he is a good young player with quality in defence and Derby may well want to try and get him back on loan for next season with Manchester United probably not ready to promote him to the first team just yet.

Rooney has gone on record to say he'd like to keep Mengi so let's see if he can get him.

Nathan Byrne has made 37 starts this season for Derby and has provided three assists from his full-back/wing-back role at the club this year.

Byrne, arguably, has been the Rams' best player this season and, though perhaps he's not had much competition for that accolade, you have to give him credit for what he has tried to do in helping the Derby cause this season.

Certainly, plenty of Derby fans would like to see him at the club for next year and assuming they stay up they at least have a chance of keeping him.

Graeme Shinnie is another player that you can at least rely on and he, too, has had a decent enough campaign when many of those around him have not been up to scratch.

He's a hard-working midfielder that is relentless in closing down and tenacious in the middle of the park so he's obviously someone you want to try and keep whether you're in the Championship or in League One next season.

A good player still with plenty to offer, Shinnie is someone you want to have at your club.

Krystian Bielik has had no luck with injuries in the recent past and has been out since the end of January with a new ACL injury which is obviously about as bad as it gets for a footballer.

That might mean, though, that he remains at the club for next season at least - providing Derby remain in the Championship - and he could well return fairly early into the new campaign in the Rams' midfield.

Derby have missed him a great deal and we know the talent he has so potentially having him for another year next season is a huge boost.

Tom Lawrence is out of contract at the end of next season so Derby need to decide whether they're going to keep him for one more year, offer him a new deal, or let him leave this summer.

It might be an idea to give him another year to try and get back to the level he has in him but, certainly, a new contract offer might not be coming until he proves he has still got it.

Could selling be of interest? Perhaps, but you can see him remaining at Pride Park for another year too.

Max Bird is a talented young player and is still only just starting his 20s, it's easy to forget that.

He has received some stick this season but has also put in some really promising performances too and there can be no denying the potential and quality that he does have.

He should only get better in the seasons to come and there's certainly every chance that next year could be a big one for him.

There's plenty to like about Bird, he just needs the time and patience to show what he's got.

Luke Jephcott is a player getting linked with a host of Championship clubs at the moment with him impressing for Plymouth Argyle this season in League One.

The Rams certainly need to add to their attacking options in the summer window and that is regardless of what division they are going to be in next year in the EFL.

The likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest are also keen on getting him in and so he's certainly one to watch for a move this summer.

Lee Gregory is a player that Wayne Rooney seemingly likes.

The striker had his season cut short by a hamstring problem but Rooney has been on record to say he was a fan of what Gregory bought to the side and so you'd never rule out a further deal between Stoke and the Rams.

Gregory is obviously a player that knows the Championship very well with his time at Millwall and Stoke in mind and Derby need more attacking options so let's see if this is the route they go down.