Derby County have reportedly agreed a fee with recently-relegated Luton Town to sign striker Carlton Morris ahead of the 25/26 EFL Championship campaign.
Morris experienced all the highs and lows with Luton after signing from Barnsley in 2022. The 22/23 campaign, in which he scored twenty goals, could certainly be considered the highlight of his time at the club, as he was a vital part in securing the club’s promotion to the Premier League
Following their relegation, Morris did not have the best season in the Championship. However, this was not just an individual struggle as Luton endured a torrid 24/25 season that resulted in back-to-back relegations for the club.
Carlton Morris to Derby County?
According to John Percy, the side from the East Midlands have reached an agreement with Luton regarding the fee that will be paid for Carlton Morris. The striker is set to have his medical within the next week upon his return from holiday.
The 29-year-old only managed 10 goal involvements in the 24/25 Championship season. This is a significant drop from his last tenure in the 2nd tier only two seasons ago, and also less than he recorded in the 23/24 Premier League campaign.
However, in a season of turmoil for Luton Town that saw key players fail to be replaced and consistently changing tactics from Rob Edwards up to his dismissal, these lower numbers may not be entirely down to the striker.
His xG for the season backs this up as the striker scored 8 goals throughout this campaign, which matched well with his xG of 8.48.
A move to Derby may be just what Morris needs to bounce back from a disappointing final season at Luton Town.
A good signing for Derby?
Although Derby striker Jerry Yates scored more than Morris last season during his loan spell with the club, this deal certainly looks like it has the makings of a good one for the Rams for a number of reasons.
Following the departure of Yates back to his parent club, the Rams would have to find a suitable replacement for their top goalscorer in the 24/25 season. Morris seems like he would be just this, as he is a proven Championship striker who has shown that he can find the back of the net.
The Englishman has scored 42 goals in 145 Championship appearances, with these numbers improving over the recent years. A regular goalscorer is vital for any success that Derby want to have this season – Carlton Morris may be this man.
His strength is another notable attribute of his, making him a great target man for the Rams. The striker offers much more than just goals, as he is able to link up play.
However, upon the signing of Morris, Derby will have to ensure that they have playmakers who can provide service to the striker, who does not create many chances for himself.
If they can do this, then Derby may have found their new talisman in time for the new Championship season.
A Big Loss for Luton?
Despite a poor season for the club last season, Morris was still their top scorer and will need to be replaced correctly – something the club have failed to do recently with top players.
He would have certainly been a useful asset to have in League One and could have potentially played an important role in attempting to get Luton straight back up to Championship football.
Replacing him is one option, but the other is relying on the strike force that they already have, including Lasse Nordås and Millenic Alli.
Regardless of the choice that they make, there is no denying that Luton have lost a good servant to their club who led their goalscoring ranks for the past three seasons.