FLW spoke to Derby County’s fan pundit to discuss whether the club should sign Tyreece John-Jules on a permanent basis
HIGHLIGHTS
- Derby County could take a risk on talented but injury-prone Tyreece John-Jules, getting a potential bargain deal.
- Shaun Woodward believes a short-term contract for John-Jules is worth the gamble if he can stay fit and show his worth.
- John-Jules’ lack of regular playtime due to injuries hindered his growth, but a move like Derby could unlock his potential.
Paul Warne will be trying to bolster his team in order to make Derby County competitive as they get ready for life in the Championship.
Despite his evident skill, Tyreece John-Jules, an Arsenal prospect, suffered with injuries and was not able to make a meaningful impression at Pride Park when he was bought by the Rams on loan last season.
His contract with Arsenal expired this summer, and the Gunners decided to let him go due to his previous injury struggles and lack of success in the first team at the Emirates Stadium.
The 23-year-old will be looking for a new club this summer, but given his injury woes, clubs may be reluctant to sign him, particularly on a long-term basis.
However, this could be good news for Derby, as if they wanted to sign him permanently, they could likely do so for cheap.
Derby County urged to take a chance on Tyreece John-Jules
Our Derby County fan pundit, Shaun Woodward, believes that if the contract and price were right for Derby, signing John-Jules permanently following his release by Arsenal could be a good move.
Speaking to Football League World, Shaun said: “His track record sadly suggests that he’s going to be another George Thorne-type player.
“However, he’s young and the fact that he’s now a free agent means we could get him in for nothing and put him on a one-year contract and let him prove himself.
“If it doesn’t work out, then it’s not cost us much. If it does work out, we’ve got a good player on our hands because he’s clearly a talented young man.
“He has to find a way of staying fit because if you can get 30 games out of him I think he could be a real asset.
“If he’s fit, then great, but if he’s not, then he goes after 12 months, so it’s probably a win-win.
“I think it’s worth a punt personally.”
Tyreece John-Jules is clearly a talented player
The former Arsenal man has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons, and had he been able to stay fit, he almost certainly wouldn’t be a free agent now.
John-Jules never made a first-team appearance at the Emirates Stadium, instead he was loaned out multiple times to a number of EFL clubs, and he has played just 76 games of senior football, not very much for a 23-year-old.
| Tyreece John Jules’ senior career – Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season(s) | P | G | A |
| Arsenal | 2019-24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lincoln City (Loan) | 2020 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers (Loan) | 2020-21 | 21 | 5 | 3 |
| Blackpool (Loan) | 2021-22 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| Sheffield Wednesday (Loan) | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ipswich Town (Loan) | 2022-23 | 21 | 3 | 1 |
| Derby County (Loan) | 2023-24 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
It’s clear that he needs to move somewhere he’ll play regularly, but it remains to be seen just how much interest he’ll receive thanks to his injury woes.
During his rare appearances at Derby, he showed that he’s a player with plenty of talent, but through no fault of his own, he’s been unable to show it thanks to injury.
If Derby can arrange a deal with the former Arsenal youngster which means they’re not tied to him long-term, it’ll give him the opportunity to impress, and if he does so, his deal can be extended, almost like an extended trial period.
The 23-year-old is a talent, and if he can stay fit he could make a real impact wherever he ends up.
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