Derby County have announced the signing of striker Carlton Morris who joins the club on a permanent basis.
Morris, 29, played his football at Luton Town last season where he was able to score eight goals. He was also able to assist goals on two occasions.
Since joining the Hatters in 2022, the Englishman has made 137 appearances. During this time, he has been able to score on 39 occasions. This is an average of a goal every 3.5 games.
A Crucial Summer Window For Derby County
Morris joins Derby in a crucial summer transfer window. The striker will become the first signing of the Rams summer transfer window.
The Pride Park outfit will be aiming to improve on their 19th place finish last season in the EFL Championship.
During this campaign, the Rams were only able to score 48 goals. This was the joint third lowest of any team in the English second division.
The addition of Morris – who has experience in both the EFL Championship and Premier League – arguably is a welcome addition and will add firepower to the Pride Park outfit’s attacking frontline.
What Qualities Does Morris Bring?
The addition of Carlton Morris to the Derby side adds quality to the side. However, there are some areas where Morris excels.
One of these areas is in possession. During the 2024-25 season, the striker was able to make 21 successful dribbles. Alongside this, he was able to create 32 chances and assist goals on two occasions. This shows that when the 28 year old has the ball, he is able to act positively with it and make a real difference to a game.
Furthermore, his defending statistics are also impressive. Last season, he was able to win 329 duels. Alongside this, he was able to make 17 blocks. This arguably shows his ability to battle for the ball when he doesn’t have it and his ability to fight for a team in a match.
However, his discipline can be seen to be his worst issue. During the 2024-25 season, he picked up 10 yellow cards meaning he underwent a 2 game suspension. If replicated at Derby, this could be a problem. This is because the Rams would be losing their starting striker for a period of time.
A Good Signing?
The signing of Carlton Morris is on the surface brilliant. He brings good experience, excellent skills and knows how to score goals. But, with his discipline, could his impact be limited?
Let us know if you think this is a good signing in the comments below.
