Derby County have enjoyed a revival under the guidance of Steve McClaren and Sunday's derby victory over Nottingham Forest has raised the chances of the Rams finishing in the top-six.

The Midlands outfit currently sit fifth in the table and one-point above seventh placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Securing January deals could well be the key to a successful season at the iPro Stadium but outgoing deals are just as important, especially as McClaren will want to make his impression on the side that he inherited from predecessor Nigel Pearson.

Whilst he has a talented squad, there's definitely players within his ranks that need to be shown the exit door and we've highlighted two players who fit the bill perfectly here, with their exits freeing space within the squad and potentially handing McClaren a boost to his transfer kitty for the January transfer window...

Lee Grant

Approaching the end of his six-month loan deal with Premier League outfit Stoke City, Lee Grant has benefitted from more football than he may have expected as he's risen to second-choice behind Jack Butland and impressed during the England international's spell on the sidelines.

That's led the Potters to seek a permanent deal for the 33-year-old and due to his form in Staffordshire, Derby could command a higher fee for the veteran's services and he's definitely worth cashing in on as he's surplus to requirements at Pride Park.

Chris Martin (Permanent in January)

The 28-year-old striker is another who has impressed with a loan spell, as he's proven to be a shrewd acquisition for Fulham.

Having scored six goals for the Cottagers, Martin is enjoying his season-long spell with the club and Derby could explore a permanent deal in January.

With the player not needed at the iPro and only set to return at the end of the season anyway, Derby should offer a permanent deal to their fellow Championship side and the fee they receive in return could bolster their own quest to improve their ranks.