Sources: Derby County agree terms with Oxford United’s Mark Thomas
Derby County are set to appoint Oxford United’s head of recruitment Mark Thomas as their new director of football, sources have told Football Insider.
The Rams are set to raid their League One rivals to bring in the highly-regarded transfer expert in a new recruitment role at Pride Park.
Thomas, who has been at Oxford since 2014 after joining the club from Portsmouth, is highly thought of in recruitment circles after enjoying success at Oxford with a number of signings who went on to be sold for a big profit.
Derby have agreed terms with Thomas and the move is expected to sealed in February after the transfer window closes in January.
Thomas started his career as a performance analyst at Sheffield United, before becoming a sports scientist at Middlesborough.
He also gathered experience as a performance analyst at Notts County and MK Dons before joining Portsmouth in 2010.
While he lacks experience in a director role, Thomas’ vast experience in recruitment and transfer business will help the Rams recover from their recent financial woes.
Derby currently sit fourth in League One and have built up an unbeaten run of 11 games under head coach Paul Warne.
Thomas’ record of signing players to sell them on for big profit was demonstrated in the summer of 2022 when Luke McNally was sold to Burnley.
The 23-year-old joined Oxford from St Patrick’s Athletic in January 2021 and reportedly cost the Clarets £2million last year.
In other news, Football Insider sources confirm that Newcastle United have pulled out of signing 25-year-old striker in January