You could construct an impressive team from the loan signings made by Steve McClaren since he took over as Derby County manager 15 months ago. There have been 14, including a goalkeeper, which even allows an opportunity to toy with formations.
Two of them, however, look poised to leave the most lasting impression. Tom Ince and Darren Bent have been carrying Derby in the past couple of weeks. On Tuesday, Ince scored twice and Bent the equaliser as they came from two goals down to earn a point at Rotherham.
Since joining, Bent has scored six times in seven games having managed two in 13 before that. Aston Villa, his parent club, have the same total in 11 matches. Bent is out of contract at the end of the season and, despite a change of management at Villa, is in the shop window but it would be remiss to suggest that is the only reason his form has rocketed. Derby under McClaren are an attractive option and, according to the club’s chief executive, Sam Rush, also the best place for up-and-coming talent to hone their skills.
“If young players are not able to get that pathway initially in the parent club’s first team, then the next best thing is to come to Derby County and be coached, play in front of 30,000 every week, train with great facilities and work with great young players,” he said at the beginning of the month.
Only one player contracted to Derby, Jeff Hendrick, has contributed to their past 10 goals. Ince and Bent have scored the remainder but there are other young temporary acquisitions who have played a sizeable part in their promotion surge.
Jesse Lingard, brought in on the final day of the January transfer window until the end of the season, made an impact by providing the assist for Bent at Rotherham. Real Madrid’s Omar Mascarell has added poise in midfield, while Jordon Ibe was so impressive in his brief spell Liverpool recalled him and will now offer him a lucrative contract.
Without loanees, Derby would not be one point off the top but the teams around them have also used a market that is growing increasingly important parallel to the enforcement of financial fair play rules.
At St Andrew’s 24 hours after Ince and Bent’s heroics at Rotherham, Patrick Bamford, on loan from Chelsea, salvaged a point for Middlesbrough against Birmingham to put them top of the table. He spent last season on loan at Derby but it is with Aitor Karanka’s side that he is blossoming.
Karanka has benefited from the strong relationships he has with José Mourinho and Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino. Tomas Kalas and Kenneth Omeruo have also made the journey north from Stamford Bridge, Spurs’s Ryan Fredericks has impressed at full-back and the Belgian Jelle Vossen, who belongs to Genk, has scored five league goals.
Bournemouth, the other member of the top three, have not quite had the same influx, though the goalkeeper, Artur Boruc, belongs to Southampton, and has been a crucial cog in Eddie Howe’s well-oiled machine.
It is a situation where all parties appear to be winning. Players unwanted at their own clubs are given an opportunity to re-establish some form, while the team they are contracted to are relieved of their services. And for players such as Chelsea’s trio at the Riverside, the parent club gets to see their youngsters gain experience while the borrowers are benefiting from their services.
Loanees may not decide who is promoted to the Premier League, and they may not be there to revel in the glory come August, but they will have done their bit and the Championship is a better place for the experience.
