Richard Keogh(Derby County) The Harlow-born 26-year-old centre back has been around a bit in the lower divisions and even had a loan stint in Iceland in his younger days.

However, he has made solid progress in the last few seasons, twice earning the player-of-the-year title at Coventry City before heading for Derby for about €1.2 million in the summer, after which he was promptly made captain.

A former under-21 international, he will relish the opportunity to impress Trapattoni although the Italian has suggested he may have to settle for doing that on the training ground.

Jeff Hendrick

(Derby County)

Promising central midfielder who is reported to be of interest to Premier League clubs, with West Brom and Aston Villa said to have watched him. Hendrick, 21 next week, only made his senior debut for Derby at the end of the 2010/11 season when he came on as a late replacement for Robbie Savage.

Has blown a little hot and cold but, encouraged by Nigel Clough to get forward from midfield more, the Dubliner has recently started to shine again, scoring three goals in his last four competitive games; a timely message to Trapattoni as the Italian looks to the future.

Conor Sammon

(Derby County)

The striker could be forgiven for believing that the chance of a top level career had passed him by when he was working in a bank while playing for UCD but after an eventful few seasons, the 26-year-old now looks set to become a full international with Giovanni Trapattoni suggesting that he was the first of the three Derby players to catch his eye.

Sammon moved first to Derry City then Kilmarnock and Wigan before arriving at Derby in August for an initial fee of about €750,000. Seven goals so far suggest he has plenty to offer.