Mike Ashley, the Frasers Group chief executive and former Newcastle United owner, is back in the running to buy Derby County out of administration.
Preferred bidder Chris Kirchner has been left playing catch-up in his bid to buy the club after missing a 5pm Friday deadline, set by joint administrators Quantuma, to show he had the cash to complete a deal.
Meanwhile the English Football League has urged Derby’s administrators to prove the Rams – relegated to League One next season – can survive.
In a statement the EFL said it was growing more and more concerned that the delays in the sale process presented a real risk to the integrity of next season’s competition, with the 2022/23 fixture list due to be released in less than two weeks.
It said it had told Quantuma it wanted to be party to all correspondence and discussions between the administrators and potential bidders, so that it could negotiate directly with them.
EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said: “Following this latest setback for the club and its fans, it is vitally important that a sale of the club is concluded at the earliest opportunity and we want to ensure that this objective is achieved.
“Up until now we have provided the administrators with the time and opportunity to manage the sale process but with the long stop date on the asset purchase agreement and the membership agreement now passed, further urgent proactive action is required in order to do whatever is possible to secure the club's future as a continuing member of the EFL.”
Earlier the EFL said: “As previously communicated, the League is incredibly frustrated at the time it is taking to conclude this sale.”
American businessman Chris Kirchner exchanged contracts with the administrators on May 16, after he was chosen as its “preferred bidder”. But on Friday evening Quantuma said he had not yet provided satisfactory evidence that he is in a position to complete the deal, even though he was still trying to get it done.
They said: “The joint administrators are continuing discussions with other interested parties.
“Contrary to reports in the media today, no interested party has been excluded from these discussions.”
Since then Mike Ashley has written to the administrators, via his lawyers, saying he “remains willing and ready to transact”. A copy of the letter has been seen by the PA news agency.
Mr Ashley first showed interest in buying Derby in October after he had sold Newcastle, but he made clear in his letter to Quantuma that he did not want “to be treated as a contingency measure and would require some form of security” before resuming possible takeover talks.
The administrators are also understood to be talking to one-time Rams chairman Andy Appleby.
Derby fans group RamsTrust wrote to Quantuma on Saturday saying it was “extremely fearful” the club would be unable to compete in Sky Bet League One next season.
The RamsTrust said in its letter: “We are disheartened that you have not been able to bring Derby County out of administration, as another deadline has passed, despite your best efforts.
“We are now extremely fearful that the EFL will not be able to allow the club to start the next football season.”
The Rams were relegated from the Sky Bet Championship last season having been docked 21 points over their financial problems.
