Derby County have confirmed the signing of Dion Sanderson on a season-long loan from Birmingham City, in a move that sees the 25-year-old defender reunite with head coach John Eustace for a third time in his career.

Sanderson becomes the latest player with past links to both Eustace and Blackburn Rovers to make the switch to Pride Park, following a pattern in Derby’s recruitment this summer. The former Wolves academy graduate spent the second half of last season on loan at Ewood Park, and was previously made club captain at Birmingham under Eustace.

The move had been rumoured for several weeks, but gained momentum in recent days. Sanderson admitted the deal had initially stalled earlier in the summer before things accelerated quickly.

“I first heard the interest a month ago and it kind of died out,” he told the club’s official channels. “So I was obviously cracking on with training and getting my head down. I got the call yesterday from my agent and the gaffer here, and we go again.”

Sanderson was full of praise for Eustace, whom he credits for bringing out the best in his game.

“I think he’s a quality person, a quality manager. The fans, anyone that’s worked with him, players and staff, would say that. You just have to see what he did last season — it was incredible.

“When he made me the captain at Birmingham, I was probably playing the best football I’ve played so far. He brought that out of me.”

Sanderson is the latest addition to a growing list of summer signings at Derby, joining the likes of Bobby Clark, Carlton Morris and Owen Beck as Eustace looks to reshape the squad ahead of the 2025–26 season.

Eustace took charge of Derby in the final months of last season and successfully guided the club to safety. He’ll now be hoping for a stronger campaign, starting with an away fixture against Stoke City this Saturday.