Rams agree two-year deal with Zadkovich for next season
Thursday, 17 Apr 2008 09:49
Derby County sign Australian utility player Ruben Zadkovich
Already-relegated
Derby County have signed Australian utility player Ruben Zadkovich on a two-year deal from the start of next season.
The 21-year-old, who has recently been on trial at Pride Park, impressed manager Paul Jewell, who has made the player his first signing ahead of a summer of rebuilding for life in the Championship.
Zadkovich was available on a free transfer having been released by Sydney FC when his contract ended in March.
And Jewell said the Australian, who began his career as a youth player at Queens Park Rangers, had "impressed us enormously in training".
"A number of clubs have been interested in him and we wanted to make sure we didn't miss out on a fantastic talent," the Rams boss added.
On his impending move to Derby, Zadkovich told the club's TV channel RamsWorld: "This is such a massive club and we can only expect bigger and better things.
"Things haven't gone the way the club wanted this season but everyone is looking to the future and I want to be a part of that.
"Now the team is relegated they can only start building as there is no point dwelling on the past - what has happened has happened.
"This is a massive club with great potential and I can only see them going back to the Premier League, which has got to be the goal."