Derby hit the jackpot signing “crucial” star who is now worth even more than Sibley

Paul Warne has once again demonstrated his prowess as a promotion specialist, this time with Derby County in League One. This recent success marks his fourth promotion achievement as a manager, with three of them achieved during his tenure at Rotherham United before joining Derby.

The Rams secured their promotion to the second tier with a final-day victory against Carlisle United, claiming the coveted second automatic promotion spot. Throughout the campaign, several standout players in Derbyshire contributed significantly to the team’s success. Experienced players like Sonny Bradley and James Collins showcased their expertise with top-notch performances, playing crucial roles in Derby’s ascent back to the second division.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, at 32 years old, has stood out as one of the more seasoned players for Warne’s team, with his transfer value reportedly on the rise according to Football Transfers. Despite being in the twilight years of his career, Mendez-Laing has been impressive, contributing significantly to the team.

Derby County secured Mendez-Laing’s services in 2022 on a free transfer after his contract with Sheffield Wednesday expired. Although he had a challenging stint at Hillsborough, managing only two goals and three assists in 18 games, the Rams took a calculated risk on the 5-foot-11 winger due to his free-agent status.

Mendez-Laing’s first season with Derby showcased his quality and experience on the flanks, with the former Cardiff City player delivering eight goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

However, based on his second and more impactful season in 2023/24 playing a key role in Derby securing back up to the Championship, Mendez-Laing was only getting started when first introduced into the first-team ranks.

Now, the ageing forward will have a chance to strut his stuff again in the Championship and with a point to prove after exiting the division in 2022 after that aforementioned forgettable stint with the Owls.

Mendez-Laing’s season in numbers

Described as “crucial” to Derby’s promotion push by football journalist Jacob Hackett earlier in the season, Mendez-Laing has exceeded all expectations at Pride Park, emerging as a talisman for the team.

Following the conclusion of the match against Carlisle, Mendez-Laing finished the season with an impressive tally of 27 goal contributions from 50 games, including a crucial winning goal against Cambridge United in the match prior to the decisive promotion-clinching fixture against Carlisle.

The ex-Bluebirds attacker would also be given the captain’s armband for his side’s final six games in the third tier, taking in the ecstasy of promotion knowing that he was a key cog in Warne’s relentless machine with this polished Derby team managing to add yet another promotion to his loaded CV.

Warne didn’t splash the cash in order to put together the intimidating squad that was eventually assembled, however, utilising free buys such as Mendez-Laing to his advantage on top of further free transfers in the form of Curtis Nelson, Conor Hourihane and more who have been of equal importance to the success story as the former Wednesday winger has.

These heroics for the Rams has seen Mendez-Laing’s transfer value rise unsurprisingly, according to Football Transfers, with the electric Derby number 11 now worth even more than Louie Sibley despite the homegrown product being ten years younger than his teammate.

Mendez-Laing’s transfer value in 2024

Once worth in the region of £1.7m back in 2018 when starring for Cardiff, Derby must still thank their lucky stars that they managed to pick up the standout 32-year-old on a free two years ago.

Now, after two excellent seasons back-to-back in his secure Derbyshire location, Mendez-Laing finds his valuation now stands at a pretty £775k which is more than what Peterborough United paid for him back in 2012 when signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the region of £258k.

Mendez-Laing was a new kid on the block at Posh 12 years ago – highly thought of in the Molineux youth set-up before moving on – yet with his career nearing its end soon, his valuation is now higher for Warne’s men than his early playing days.

The eight-time Guatemala international also now finds his worth higher than that of Louie Sibley in Warne’s camp currently, with the former Academy prospect turned regular first-teamer’s valuation standing at a lesser £602k.

This is despite Sibley coming up trumps in key moments for Warne’s men across the gruelling League One season as well, with the former Rotherham boss safe in the knowledge that both of them should be able to adjust to the tricky step-up a division without much difficulty.

Louie Sibley’s season in numbers

In and around Derby since 2010, through all the youth set-ups up to the bright lights of the men’s team, Sibley is living his boyhood dreams out playing for the Rams especially in a promotion-winning side.

The versatile 22-year-old, who can play down the wing or through the middle of park, would amass seven goals and five assists across all competitions with two of those five assists coming right at the end of the season when games became more tense and pressurised.

Setting up Mendez-Laing for the crucial winner at the Abbey Stadium before the big clash on the final day, Sibley also managed to pop up with a goal against Stevenage in February when the tense contest looked set to finish as a stalemate.

Regardless, Sibley finds his worth all the way down at £602k, even with his value once sitting at an extortionate £5.9m when first being touted for big things at Pride Park back in 2021.

Warne will want both Mendez-Laing and Sibley to turn it up a notch moving into the Championship, using their fantastic individual campaigns in an unforgettable collective season as a platform to become even better in the second tier which could see their values rise higher and higher.

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