Improvements are needed in the squad, but the Rams are limited in who they can bring in.

Derby are currently on the search for a new manager due to Gary Rowett joining Stoke City after a sixth placed finish and a play-off semi-finals defeat to Fulham. However, whoever they bring in will have a tough job ahead of them due to the limited financial resources of the club in their attempt to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations.

This means that bargains, loanees and free agents will be the main forms of transfer business unless they sell key players such as Matej Vydra to generate funds for the club. Therefore, here are three players that Derby can realistically bring in to improve the squad without spending much...

Tuanzebe was on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United for the second half of last season with Steve Bruce opting to use him as cover for the full-back spots even though his preferred position is as a centre-back.

The fact that he only made five league appearances for Villa means that he is likely to be on loan again next season due to not being good enough for the United first-team because he still needs to develop. Premier League teams are unlikely to be interested in his services, so Derby should consider a move.

He is an effective player at this level and can play all along the back line. This would be a great move for the Rams because it would be a cheap way to add depth to the squad while also providing a strong first-team option for the left-back and centre-back position alongside Curtis Davies because of the issues in both areas last season.

Tomori is another loanee that Derby could bring in for the defensive areas. He spent last season on loan at Hull City from Chelsea, and he received significantly more playing time than Tuanzebe because he made 25 league appearances.

The 20-year-old is an excellent option for this level because of his experience in the Championship as well as his high potential so he is likely to continue improving while on loan at the club. He would help lower the average age of the squad by balancing out some of the experience in defensive areas while also being cheap due to being a loanee.

Vela was one of Bolton's top performers as they narrowly avoided relegation on the final day with a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest. However, they are limited in who they can bring in due to finances, so they are likely to sell a key player such as Vela in order to generate funds.

Derby should take advantage of this because he would be a long-term solution for the midfield areas. Tom Huddlestone, Bradley Johnson and Joe Ledley are all over 30, so they only have short-term futures with Derby while George Thorne is injury-prone. Therefore, they should consider bringing in Vela to add depth their currently while also being able to take over responsibility once the older players start to leave.

He is ideal as a screen in front of the defence to break up opposition attacks while also providing a box-to-box threat which is perfect for a counter-attacking set-up like they used under Rowett this season. However, whether they stick with that approach is dependent on who they bring in as manager.