Ryan Hedges Joins Derby County on Free Transfer

Ryan Hedges is back under John Eustace and back in the Championship spotlight, after Derby County snapped up the winger on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old has signed a one-year contract at Pride Park, with the Rams holding an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months. He left Blackburn Rovers at the end of last season when his deal at Ewood Park expired, ending a four-year spell in East Lancashire.

That stint included a short but significant crossover with Eustace during the 2024-25 campaign, and the Derby boss has now moved quickly to bring a familiar face into a squad being reshaped for the new season.

Hedges has effectively been on trial in plain sight. He linked up with Derby for pre-season last month, trained with the group and featured in friendlies against Alfreton Town and SC Freiburg, doing enough to convince the club to make the move permanent.

The former Wales international – capped three times by his country – becomes Derby’s sixth signing of the summer window, adding experience and versatility to their wide options.

His career has taken him across all levels of the British game. Hedges enjoyed a productive spell at Aberdeen, where he tasted European football in both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League, and previously turned out for Barnsley, Yeovil Town, Leyton Orient and Stevenage Borough.

Now he gets a fresh start, an old manager, and a club with momentum. How far that combination can take Derby this season will be one of the more intriguing subplots of their campaign.