Kelle Roos the hero following three saves in the shoot-out itself. The absence of Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe from the starting line-up lead to rumours about their future and both players subsequently joined Premier League Sheffield United in an undisclosed deal two days later. The ensuing gap left by Bogle was filled with the signing of Wigan Athletic's Nathan Byrne three days later in another undisclosed deal. Derby lost 2–0 at home to Reading in their opening game of the new campaign (a first opening day defeat for 11 years), before losing 2–1 at home to Preston North End in the EFL Cup second round. a first defeat to Preston in 15 meetings. In the days following the Preston defeat, Derby clinched the signing of Poland international Kamil Jóźwiak from Lech Poznań and announced Max Bird and Louie Sibley had signed new deals with the club which would take them through to the end of the 2023–24 season. Jóźwiak's debut came three days after signing as he assisted Jack Marriott for the equalizer, his first goal since January, in an eventual 2–1 defeat at Luton Town, Derby's third consecutive defeat in all competitions. There were heavy links with Jordon Ibe, who had had a loan spell with the club in 2014-15, and former Liverpool forward Bobby Duncan.; both joined the club in the week following the Luton game. Neither player featured in the next game, a 4–0 home defeat to Blackburn Rovers; a third straight league defeat condemning the Rams to their worst start to a season since the 1992-93 campaign. October As new signing Bobby Duncan was confirmed to initially be part of the Rams under-23s side, Derby continued making signings with one eye on the future in the capture of Southend United winger Isaac Hutchinson., former-Bradford City goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy and ex-West Ham United midfielder Louie Watson. The upcoming closure of the international transfer window on 5 October saw the club heavily linked with SV Darmstadt 98 striker Serdar Dursun and they reportedly submitted bids of £750,000 and £1m for the player, though both were rejected and no deal went through, though it was suggested Derby would revisit their interest in 2021. The club continued its hunt for a striker within the English league and was linked with loan moves for Premier League forwards Keinan Davis of Aston Villa. and Charlie Austin of West Brom, though Austin