Derby County eyeing move for “incredible” former Bristol City star

Derby County are eyeing a move for Ipswich Town attacker Anis Mehmeti, as they look to make a splash in the transfer window ahead of the September 1st deadline.

It hasn’t been the greatest of starts to the season for Derby, having been knocked out of the EFL Cup by Lincoln City, before going on to take just one point from their opening two Championship matches.

As such, it is perhaps no surprise David Clowes & co are looking to get more players through the door over the next week, and Mehmeti could be an exciting option, having proven himself in the Championship with Bristol City.

The five-cap Albania international spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Robins, picking up 26 goals and nine assists in 136 matches, which earned him a move to Ipswich Town in the 2026 January transfer window, before Kieran McKenna’s side went on to win promotion.

The London-born attacker, who primarily plays in attacking midfield or on the left-wing, made 18 second tier appearances for the Tractor Boys during the second half of the season, registering two goals and two assists, and he earned major plaudits for his work-rate from teammate Leif Davis.

The Ipswich left-back said: “Anis, an incredible signing for us,” he said. “He looks lively on the ball and he works hard for the team, you can see he’s settled in really quick already.

“He works really hard on and off the ball, which is a big part of us as a team. He’s going to settle in even quicker and hopefully he gets his first goal.

“He’s incredible on the ball, you can see how sharp he is. It’s not just the on-the-ball stuff he’s good at, the best thing he’s good at is his off-the-ball stuff.”

Derby keen on signing Anis Mehmeti

According to reporter Alan Nixon (via Football League World), Derby are now eyeing a move for Mehmeti, as the former Bristol City man could be made available before the September 1st deadline.

However, should Ipswich decide to offload the Albanian, there is likely to be plenty of competition for his signature, and he is not the only winger the Rams have identified as a target.

West Bromwich Albion star Mikey Johnston is also of interest, although the Ireland international didn’t perform quite as well as the Ipswich winger during the 2025-26 campaign.

As such, Mehmeti should be Derby’s number one target, with John Eustace looking to inject some quality into his attack, in the hope of turning things around after a disappointing start to the campaign.

Next up, the Rams take on Swansea City at home, which could be another difficult game, given that the Jacks have taken four points from their opening two matches.