Namibian international defender Ryan Nyambe (25) is looking forward to a new challenge after a short-term deal to join English second division club Derby County.
He will be at Pride Park until January, and will provide competition for Kane Wilson and youngster Max Bardell on the right-hand side of Paul Warne’s defence.
Nyambe spent last season at Wigan Athletic, making 31 appearances in the championship as they were relegated to League One.
It has been a tumultuous time for the Latics, who have suffered points deductions and released a number of players at the end of last season.
Nyambe subsequently endured months of uncertainty kicking his heels on the sidelines after parting ways with Wigan.
“As a free agent you’re stuck in limbo. You’re just training by yourself or with personal coaches, and to finally secure stability is quite important for any footballer or person. It’s very pleasing,” he said in an interview with RamsTV on Tuesday.
“It gives a bit of anxiousness. Just sitting at home watching everyone else play is upsetting. You want to be on the pitch. It gets you eager and more hungry to be out there,” he said.
Before being at Wigan, Nyambe spent six seasons with Blackburn Rovers, making 183 league appearances.
Some 154 of those were in the championship.
He finished as runner-up in League One, with Blackburn in the 2017/18 season, so has experience of helping a team achieve promotion.
Capped 14 times by Namibia, Nyambe did not find a new club in the summer transfer window, but is eligible to sign for Derby now because he is a free agent.
“I’ve had a very warm welcome and I’m very happy to get the deal done. It’s been a long period . . . It’s taken quite a few weeks to get sorted, but once it is, then it’s a happy process,” Nyambe said.
The versatile defender joined The Rams following enquiries by head coach Paul Warne.
“He seems like a very genuine person and very charismatic – that’s really important to me. As a person, you want to feel wanted. When you feel wanted, that’s when you get the most out of someone,” Nyambe said about Warne.
“It’s a good club. It’s a place where I can see myself developing and trying to get on with my career.”
The Rams say Nyambe’s four-month deal has been concluded “with a view to extending”, and that he could make his debut in Saturday’s League One trip to Carlisle United.
Nyambe is keen to rekindle his League One experience.
“It’s a tough league. It’s about consistency and getting the result – no matter how. It’ll take you miles ahead of every team if you are consistent,” he said.
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