Derby County have made their move again, and this one feels a little more serious than a routine squad-filler. Filip Bilbija arrives on a three-year deal after leaving Paderborn, and the 26-year-old brings something every ambitious summer rebuild needs: end product. Last season he scored 17 goals across all competitions, which is the sort of return that immediately changes the conversation around a signing.
This is Derby's third summer addition after Bobby Clark and Charlie Taylor, and it tells you quite a bit about the direction of travel. They are not just stacking bodies into the squad. They are trying to build something with more attacking threat, more competition, and, crucially, more credibility. Bilbija is already in Derby's pre-season camp in Austria, so this is not one of those signings that drifts in at arm's length. He has joined up and can get to work immediately.
A striker's instinct in an attacking midfielder's body
Bilbija is listed as an attacking midfielder, but the most important number here is still 17. That is the figure that gives this deal its edge. In a market where clubs love to talk themselves into potential, Derby have opted for a player who has already shown he can deliver in the final third. That matters. A lot.
He was not short of attention either. Last season, when his contract was running down, he had been linked with Werder Bremen, which tells you there was already recognition of what he had done. Instead, Derby have landed him after Paderborn's promotion to the German Bundesliga, and that makes the move even more intriguing. It is a step into a different environment, but one that should suit a player who has spent time at Hamburg SV and came through at Ingolstadt before joining Paderborn in the summer of 2023.
What Derby have actually bought
This is not just about a name on the team sheet. Derby have signed a 26-year-old with experience, momentum and a clear statistical calling card. The risk, as with any player stepping into a new league and a new club, is adaptation. But the upside is obvious enough that it is hard not to see why Derby have taken the plunge.
For a team still shaping its summer, the wider message is simple: they are being proactive rather than cautious. Bobby Clark and Charlie Taylor were the first arrivals, Bilbija is the next, and together those moves suggest a squad being built with more than survival in mind. If Bilbija can bring the goals with him, this could end up looking like a very smart piece of business indeed.
