Derby's potential new owner Chris Kirchner reportedly met with the English Football League on Tuesday to outline his plans to avoid another damaging points deduction for the club.
The American businessman is aiming to get a takeover done that would finally see the stricken Rams exit administration after almost seven months. According to Sky Sports News, Kirchner told the EFL he has offered to pay non-football creditors 35p in the pound over the next three years. That figure is said to be the threshold for the league's insolvency rules and would be the minimum that has to be paid back in order for the club to avoid a potential 15-point deduction.
Derby have already been handed deductions totalling 21 points this term: 12 for entering administration and a further nine after admitting to breaches of the EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules.
The report adds that Derby are in negotiations with HMRC over an outstanding tax bill that is thought to exceed £30m.
Any change of ownership is unlikely to happen until the summer, with significant hurdles still to overcome. These include paying off creditors, an in-depth study by Kirchner's accountants of the club's finances and the ownership issue of Pride Park. Derby's home ground belongs to former owner Mel Morris with a deal needed to either purchase the stadium back from him or lease it.
One suggestion has been that Derby City Council could buy the stadium from Morris and then agree a rental scheme with the club's new owners. But earlier this month a statement issued from the council's chief executive Paul Simpson said the authority's "preference is for a buyer to purchase the club and stadium outright."
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Kirchner was revealed as preferred bidder by administrators Quantuma last week and has since been keeping a high profile. He has taken part in a Twitter Q&A with Derby supporters and made a number of revelations. One fan question asked if Kirchner had spoken to Rooney since being named preferred bidder, to which he responded: "(We) Trade at least a few WhatsApp messages basically daily." Last week Rooney threw his support behind Kirchner, saying he is "delighted” by the development. He said: "He's an ambitious man who wants to do well for the club, so am I."
Kirchner has also said Rooney would remain as manager next season if he completes the takeover. He said: "He will. He's a big reason I came back. I believe he is the best young manager in the game."
The American was also asked if Rooney would be given full responsibility for recruitment in the summer. He added: "I'll default to Wayne and the term internally. Wayne knows the squad he wants, my job is to give him the resources to assemble it."
The takeover developments are against the backdrop of Derby's fight to stay in the Championship - a fight that looks like having an unhappy ending for the East Midlands club. Wayne Rooney's side have lost six of their last nine games and find themselves nine points adrift of safety with just five games left to play.
They host Championship leaders Fulham on Good Friday, kicking off after all of their relegation rivals. Derby's fate could be sealed following the Easter double-header, which sees them travel to QPR on Bank Holiday Monday.
