FORMER Sky Blues defender Cyrus Christie has agreed to join Derby County on a three-year deal after rejecting a new deal with his home-town club.
The 21-year-old defender, who made 116 appearances for the Sky Blues, has has decided to progress his career under former England boss Steve McLaren in the Championship.
The switch has been made between the two clubs for an undisclosed fee rather than a figure set by tribunal which would have applied given Christie’s development through the Sky Blues Academy and the fact he is under 23 years of age.
Christie was part of the academy setup from as young as eight and he progressed through the ranks before earning his professional debut in August 2010 during a 2-0 defeat against Morecambe in the League Cup.
His pace and attacking mentality at full back earned him a growing reputation and interest grew in recent years with a host of Championship and Premiership clubs declaring an interest.
“We wish Cyrus all the best.” said manager Steven Pressley. “He’s a fantastic kid and I’ve really enjoyed working with him.
“We obviously made it clear that we wanted him to stay but at the same time we respect his decision to seek out a fresh challenge and for that we wish him the very best of luck.”
His impressive displays in League One last season caught the eye of Premier League and Championship managers, including Rams head coach McClaren.
“Right-back has been a focus for us this summer and we are delighted to have secured the services of Cyrus, who is a very highly-rated prospect.” said McClaren.
“We have been monitoring Cyrus for some time and while there has been a great deal of competition for his signature, we are delighted that he has chosen Derby County for this key stage of his career.
“Cyrus fits the profile of young, talented players that we have identified and I am really looking forward to working with him.
“Our Head of Football Operations Chris Evans and his recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for closing this deal amidst much pressure. We have signed some very good players this summer and Cyrus is another excellent capture.”
Defender Cyrus Christie has joined Derby. (s) Photo by David Purday (stavros-sports.com)
