Sam Szmodics has admitted that his deadline day loan move from Ipswich Town to Derby County was ‘intense’.
There was speculation regarding the 30-year-old’s future throughout the January transfer window, with the Rams rivalled by Wrexham to acquire his signature.
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The Blues were looking to receive a suitable fee for him, but ultimately allowed him to leave on loan, with a deal sheet required to get everything signed off in time on Monday night.
“It was intense, but ultimately got what Derby wanted and I wanted,” Szmodics told RamsTV. “To come here and get some games.
“Finally, we got it done.
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“I heard about it [Derby’s interest] early January, early on. Nothing really concrete.
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“I only found out a couple of weeks ago, maybe 10 days ago, when the first bid went in. That’s when I let Ipswich know it was something that interested me.
“Whether that was a permanent or a loan, or a loan with an obligation, it was something I wanted to do, to come and work under the boss again.
The attacker reunites with former boss John Eustace at Pride Park (Image: PA)
“Thankfully, it just got done in time.”
Reuniting with former boss John Eustace was also a priority, having worked with him at Blackburn Rovers previously.
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Szmodics scored for fun at Ewood Park, which allowed him to step up to the Premier League by joining Ipswich, and he hopes to rekindle that red-hot form at Pride Park.
“I think I played my football under the manager, and under Gards [Matt Gardiner] and Keith [Downing],” he said. “It was an opportunity to come and work with them again.
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“A club like Derby, the size of the club and the ambitions this season, it’s something I couldn’t turn down.”
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Szmodics claims he already knows seven or eight players in Derby’s squad, mostly through Blackburn, describing his first training session as a school reunion.
Asked who was happiest to see him sign, he replied that it was former Town loanee Lewis Travis,
“He’s one of my best mates in football,” Szmodics revealed. “It was another reason I wanted to come to Derby, to link up with him again.
Szmodics was keen to play alongside ex-Town loanee Lewis Travis (Image: PA)
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“When I was there [Blackburn], he left to go to Ipswich, and now I’ve left Ipswich to come back and be with him.
“It’s a relationship we’ve got on the pitch, but it’s a healthy relationship off it as well.”
Playing week in, week out will now be the priority for Szmodics, who says that he wants to get back to enjoying his football again.
“I think it’s a massive thing, especially at my age now, at 30,” he explained.
READ MORE: The ex-Blues who made moves on deadline day and during the January transfer window
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“I still consider myself young, but I still want to play enough football with a smile on my face and really enjoy it.
“For me, I really enjoyed Ipswich, but I know I’ve worked with this manager before and I know what this manager can get out of me.
“When an opportunity like that comes – and they don’t come around often – it’s something I’ve got to take control of.”