Nat Phillips joins Derby on loan for remainder of season
Nathaniel Phillips has joined Derby County on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Liverpool defender completed his temporary switch to Paul Warne’s Rams on transfer deadline day.
Phillips, who has made 29 senior appearances for the Reds, returns to the Championship after spending the second half of last season at Cardiff City.
The 27-year-old has also had previous loan stints with VfB Stuttgart, AFC Bournemouth and Celtic.
Derby are next in action on Saturday afternoon when they host Bristol City.
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Derby are not Championship ready yet – Warne
Derby County boss Paul Warne believes the Rams are not yet Championship ready following last season’s promotion from League One.
The Rams have taken three points from their opening three games in the second tier and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two side Barrow on Tuesday.
Warne is hoping to strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes on Friday, but says they have to be realistic about who they can bring in.
“We are still in an early stage of building this club back up,” he told BBC Radio Derby.
“We’re not in a position where we’re going to go and buy three players for two or three million-plus.
“Our job is just to recruit the best players we can. Who are affordable and available to us, and I’m really pleased with the ones we’ve brought in.
“You’re competing in a league where everybody else, well 20 other teams possibly, are Championship ready and we are not.”
Derby spent two seasons in League One and have so far brought in nine players during the transfer window, most recently Tawanda Chirewa, on loan from Wolves.
Warne said they will definitely get more business done before the transfer window closes, or then look at out-of-contract players.
“I could have possibly got an unbelievable number nine in but no-one else,” he said.
“I think we’ve done really well so far and we still have some work to do.
“Certain players want to go to a team that are going for things.
“We are going for things, but our success is possibly different to how Burnley would regard their success, so you’re managing that as well. We’re in a good position.”
