Osborn and Derby have reached an agreement, and he will soon complete a free transfer.
At the end of this week, his contract at Bramall Lane is set to expire.
After securing a spot back in the Championship the previous season, Derby manager Paul Warne is trying to bolster his team.
The player’s prior experiences with Nottingham Forest, where he spent 16 years as a child at the City Ground, give the deal extra weight, even though Osborn joined the Forest academy at the age of nine from Derby.
He appeared in 230 games for the Premier League team overall.
The 29-year-old has joined a number of accomplished players who have left Sheffield United as unrestricted free agents this summer, including Max Lowe, George Baldock, and Oliver Norwood, who has joined Sheffield Wednesday, a rival city [BBC Sport, June 15].
Sheffield United star to join Derby County
Warne, who has over 350 career appearances in the Premier League and Championship, will be keen to make sure Derby is not hit with any last-minute surprises when acquiring Osborn.
Osborn was up in the city and started his academy career with the Rams in the early 2000s. However, his decision to join Forest’s fierce rivals will undoubtedly incite strong opinions in the Nottinghamshire region.
Derby hasn’t had much luck with their summer transfer attempts thus far. According to Football Insider [10 May], the Rams have attempted unsuccessfully to sign Charlton Athletic rookie Thierry Small, while highly-regarded youth target Dan Ellison [18 June] has signed a contract with Bristol Rovers.
In this case, Warne has chosen a player to enter the team right away and assist others who lack experience at the level rather than relying solely on youth.
Osborn, a versatile player who can play full-back and midfield, is expected to sign a long-term contract.
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