Derby County manager Wayne Rooney has insisted that the Rams will not be sanctioning a summer exit for either Nathan Byrne or Lee Buchanan amid transfer interest.

It was reported by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon that Nottingham Forest are interested in making a move to Buchanan this summer as they aim to add a new left-back to their squad.

The latest update from The Sun on Sunday (25/07/21, p62) has revealed that the Reds have made an offer worth around £2 million for the full-back.

There have also been reports that Nathan Byrne has emerged on Celtic’s lists of transfer targets this summer as they aim to add to their squad in the right-back position.

The Scottish side are thought to be interested in a move for Sheffield United’s George Baldock and have him as a transfer priority, but the Derby full-back is an alternative option.

Speaking to Derbyshire Live, Rooney insisted that both Buchanan and Byrne are not for sale this summer and that they are going to be integral to the way he sets his side up next season in the Championship.

He said: "None of my players are going anywhere. Obviously, we haven't got enough players as it is.

"The way we are trying to play, they are the two most important players on the pitch, so none of my players will be leaving the club this transfer window unless it is to benefit them, whether it is a loan, but that can only happen if we are allowed to bring players in."

The Verdict

These comments from Rooney are much more encouraging and are exactly what you would have expected given the Rams’ current predicament.

The focus has to be purely on adding to their squad before the season starts and not on weakening the squad by selling off one or two of their most important players in the shape of Byrne and Buchanan.

Both full-backs are amongst the best performers in the Rams’ squad and they were both crucial players last season as Derby just about survived the drop in the Championship.

You can therefore understand why both Celtic and Nottingham Forest are interested in bringing them in and perhaps they thought they could take advantage of the financial issues surrounding Rooney’s side.

If Derby were to allow either player to leave this summer it would be a major potential issue for the Rams. They would be almost irreplaceable given the quality they possess and the limitations that are on Rooney’s side in terms of bringing in potential new additions to the squad.