It is suggested that Derby County should consider signing Mark McGuinness from Sheffield United to strengthen their defense. The 25-year-old Irish centre-back's manager, Chris Wilder, has indicated the player can depart after the defender struggled for game time last season, having become a lower-priority player following Wilder's return to the club last September. McGuinness had been signed from Luton Town by the previous manager, Ruben Selles. Wilder stated that he thinks there will be takers for the player and that McGuinness, along with his agent, understands the situation and is working on finding a new club. The manager also confirmed the player's desire is to play first-team football. It is reported that McGuinness would not be the most expensive signing and could be a solution for Derby before the transfer market closes on 1 September. The defender joined Sheffield United in September 2025 and his contract runs until 2029. He has two caps for Ireland and his current Transfermarkt market value is €7.00m. The most recent transfer fee in his history was a reported €11.7M paid by Luton Town to Cardiff City in August 2024.