After witnessing his side avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth earlier this year, Derby County manager Wayne Rooney would have been hoping to put his own stamp on the club's squad ahead of his first full season in charge of the club.
However, restrictions placed upon the Rams by the Football League have ultimately prevented the Championship outfit from drafting in any fresh faces this summer.
Although they are still under a transfer embargo which prevents them from purchasing players, Derby were recently handed a boost as it was revealed that they could pursue deals for out-of-contract players.
Whilst any potential move will need to be checked by the EFL in order to see whether Rooney's side are complying with a strict salary cap which has been imposed on them, it could turn out to be a busy period for the club.
In a fresh transfer update, it has now been revealed that the Rams are set to step up their business ahead of the upcoming campaign.
According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Derby are now selecting the free-agents that they want to sign before seeking approval regarding potential deals from the EFL.
Although it has not been revealed who the Rams will be swooping for, there are a host of players who are currently training with the team.
The likes of Phil Jagielka, Sone Aluko, Ravel Morrison, Tom Carroll and Sam Baldock are all looking to earn moves to Pride Park.
Meanwhile, Curtis Davies is believed to be in contention for a new deal following the expiry of his previous contract last month.
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Whereas Derby will need to overcome some obstacles in order to sign some of the aforementioned players, this latest update is relatively encouraging as it is clear that Rooney is doing everything he can to bolster his squad.
Whilst the Rams will be under no illusion about how difficult it will be to compete in the Championship, the arrival of individuals who know exactly what it takes to succeed at this level may give them a boost heading into next season.
With Rooney's side set to face Huddersfield Town on the opening weekend of the season, it will be fascinating to see who lines up for the club in this particular fixture.
Providing that the Rams boss is able to nail his transfer recruitment in the coming weeks, he could potentially guide the club to a positive start to the upcoming campaign.
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