Kevin Phillips backs Derby County's decision to sell Will Hughes

Derby County coach Kevin Phillips has suggested that the Rams are making the correct decision by selling Will Hughes.

The England Under-21 international is expected to complete a transfer to Watford in the coming days after spending the last six seasons at the East Midlands outfit.

News of the impending sale has divided opinion, but Phillips appears to have pointed to Hughes's number of starts in the second tier as a reason why the club were right to accept an £8m offer from the Hornets.

Speaking at the Icons golf tournament at The Belfry, he said: "I am sure Will will be suited for the Premier League, but he has moved on and we will move on. The manager is not afraid to make decisions, which is right.

"I think what you have to do is find players in the Championship who are quite robust and can go Saturday to Tuesday and again.

"Statistically if you look at teams who win the Championship they don't make many changes. So that is what Gary is trying to do to get a team to play week in week out, it is very difficult because everyone is looking for those players."

Last season, Hughes made 28 starts in the Championship, with a further 10 outings coming from the substitutes' bench.