Derby County find themselves in an incredibly precarious position right now, and ahead of the next two-week international break, the Rams have some gargantuan decisions before them.

With just one win in 14 league games so far, Derby are glued to the Championship relegation zone right now, with only Preston North End keeping the struggling Rams off the foot of the table.

Head coach John Eustace, unless a huge noticeable improvement is made in their next game at home to Bolton Wanderers, could well become the fourth second-tier boss to be sacked already this season, and amid their struggles, there has been a shocking injury crisis.

Each of Matt Clarke, Patrick Agyemang, Lewis Travis, Sondre Langås, and Eiran Cashin has spent prolonged periods on the sidelines this season, and despite this lack of options, Eustace has more often than not chosen to ignore the presence of Corey Blackett-Taylor.

Corey Blackett-Taylor has fallen out of favour at Derby County and could leave as early as January

Blackett-Taylor, 29, came through the youth ranks of Aston Villa before working his way through the EFL with the likes of Walsall, Tranmere Rovers, and Charlton Athletic before landing at Derby in January 2024, initially on loan, and then made permanent the following summer.

Helping the Rams return to the Championship under Paul Warne, Blackett-Taylor has struggled to nail down a place in the side in the Championship ever since, and was allowed to join Bolton Wanderers on loan in January 2026, helping the Trotters achieve promotion from League One this time around.

An exit in the summer appeared likely, but the winger has stuck around, and with just 143 minutes in eight league appearances to date, continues to have no such impact, as regardless of whether Eustace stays or goes, the 29-year-old should be looking for an escape route this winter.

With his career in danger of stagnating even further, Football League World has taken a look at two EFL clubs that should offer Blackett-Taylor an escape route this winter.

Leicester City

Leicester City are spending the 2026/27 campaign in League One, just a decade after lifting the Premier League trophy and only five years after lifting the FA Cup, as Russell Martin has been chosen as the man tasked with guiding the Foxes back out of the third tier.

Martin's preferred style of football has proven controversial almost everywhere the former defender has been, and that has proven to be no different this time around with Leicester, who, despite their domination in terms of possession, have failed to turn that dominance into three points often enough.

The Foxes squad is filled with bright youngsters now, including the likes of Will Alves, Sammy Braybrooke, Louis Page, Kamari Doyle, Harry Howell, and Tommy Watson, and though some senior figures such as John Lundstram, Bobby Decordova-Reid, and Wes Burns increase the average age of the group, a bit more experience wouldn't go amiss.

The lack of experience and know-how in the wide attacking areas at the King Power Stadium is troubling, and Blackett-Taylor could be the perfect fit for Martin.

Capable of playing anywhere in the final third, the Englishman has 22 goals and 17 assists in 134 League One games in his career to date, and, knowing exactly what the division is about, could be a useful asset for Martin.

With two promotions from League One on his CV already, Blackett-Taylor surely wouldn't turn down the opportunity to add a third with the Foxes.

Where do you think Blackett-Taylor should go if he were to leave Derby? Would you like to see him at your club? Share your thoughts below!

Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday were relegated alongside Leicester to League One last season, and after just 11 games in charge, have decided to part ways with Danish head coach Henrik Pedersen.

Former Stockport County boss Dave Challinor has since stepped into the vacancy at Hillsborough, and by the time the January window opens, the 51-year-old will surely have a clear idea of areas for improvement.

Wednesday can boast numerous options in attacking areas with the likes of Jamal Lowe, Louie Barry, and Callum Slattery, though each of Kieran Morrison, Harry Gray, Mason Burstow, Ali Al-Hamadi, and Davis Keillor-Dunn is only on loan, with no signs that any will be signed permanently anytime soon.

Any one of those could return to their parent clubs as early as January, as in the event that Wednesday become short of options in that area of the pitch, a replacement or two must be sourced, and Blackett-Taylor could be perfect.

With ample League One experience that Challinor will absolutely value and an appetite to prove a point after a difficult couple of years with Derby, Blackett-Taylor could be an incredible pickup for any third-tier club, including Wednesday, as Challinor must be adding the winger to his shopping list ASAP.