Further doubt cast over Rams takeover plans
FURTHER doubt has been cast over the protracted takeover bid for Derby County by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed al Nehayan amid claims he enquired about buying two Premier League clubs last season.
The Daily Mail are reporting that the Rams’ prospective new owners looked into the purchase of West Ham United and Bournemouth last year.
There is already significant doubt over the drawn-out takeover at Pride Park following a long delay in completing the transaction and claims that the group have failed to complete deals for other clubs will heighten those apprehensions, says the report.
The EFL ratified the proposed purchase of Derby by the cousin of Manchester City’s billionaire owner Sheikh
Mansour in November.
A transfer of the funds and a final exchange of contracts, which have been drawn up, is said to be all that is left to complete, but the national newspaper’s report says sources claim there has been a worrying lack of communication from the United Arab Emirates.
Although ensuring proof of funds to the EFL as part of the due diligence process was not an issue, it is suggested that the hold-up could be due to difficulties in actually accessing the necessary money required to complete the takeover.
The delay has led to fears the deal is set to fall through and led to scepticism over the potential buyers.
Current owner and chairman Mel Morris, meanwhile, insisted the takeover was “not finished” last weekend.
The Bin Zayed Group have long been in the market to take control at an English football club.
They had a failed attempt to buy Newcastle United from Mike Ashley last year as well as their latest apparent interest in West Ham and Bournemouth.
The report says it is understood an initial enquiry over the purchase of West Ham was made before the Covid-19 pandemic but the group dropped their interest following early discussions.
Their attempts to buy Bournemouth, who were relegated from the top flight last season, are suggested to have gone further but, again, nothing came to fruition.
The Mail conclude that the previous attempts to buy a club in England will merely add to concerns that Derby are being, as they put it, “led up the garden path” by the Bin Zayed Group.