Rooney ‘pretty sure’ preferred bidder named this week as Ashley linked
BOSS SAYS RAMS NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR BUILD-UP PLAY AFTER CUP EXIT AT SKY BLUES
WAYNE Rooney says he is “pretty sure” a preferred bidder for Derby County will be in place this week.
Speaking after the Rams’ 1-0 defeat by Coventry City in their FA Cup third-round tie at the CBS Arena, Rooney was asked about the latest on the takeover saga.
Reports on Friday night claimed Derby are set to receive a “formal £50m offer” from former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to purchase the club.
It was reported that the bid Ashley is “preparing” would be the “largest so far” tabled to Quantuma, the Rams’ administrators, and apparently comes after advanced talks between the two parties.
A consortium headed by former Rams chairman Andy Appleby also has an offer for the club on the table.
Asked what he knew about the Ashley reports, Rooney said: “Nothing. Whoever this preferred bidder is obviously wants to stay quiet until it happens, which is fair enough in my opinion.
“I know it is very very close. I am pretty sure I will be sitting in front of you next week with the preferred bidder in place, I am sure of that.”
Asked if he had spoken to the preferred bidders still in the race to buy the club, Rooney said: “No. I don’t know who they are.
“I think there is two in there but I have no idea who they are. Obviously there are names, I see those names like you, but I couldn’t say it is him or him.
“The administrators haven’t told me, Stephen Pearce hasn’t told me, no-one at the club has told me.
“We need someone in and, after my conversation with the administrators, that will be done at some point, hopefully, early next week.”
Meanwhile, Rooney has highlghted a key improvement his Rams team need to find for the rest of the season after their FA Cup exit as they try to avoid relegation from the Championship.
Looking back at the Coventry game, Rooney said: “I thought the performance was very good.
“I thought we dictated the game but it is important that the lads take in what we are telling them about the build-up when we play in our half. We have to play two-touch because it would make it very difficult for Coventry to press us.
“The opportunities they (Coventry) had in the first half came from us dribbling with the ball, taking unnecessary risks. For their goal, Festy (Ebosele) gets robbed inside our half and they get the corner from it, and score.
“I think in terms of build-up and getting into the final third was good. Where we have to improve – we know that, we have done some work on that this week – is our final pass and decision-making because if we improve that and get that better, that makes us a very, very good team.”
Rooney explained why Nathan Byrne and Louie Sibley were missing from the Rams’ 20-man squadagainst the Sky Blues.
The Rams manager made three changes to the team with Colin Kazim-richards, Ravel Morrison and Ebosele coming in for Luke Plange, Kamil Jozwiak and Byrne, who was injured.
“He (Sibley) picked up a knock yesterday on his hip. He’ll be fine I
think for next week,” said Rooney.
Teams are allowed to name nine substitutes in the FA Cup and use five of them.
Some Derby fans voiced surprise on social meadia that Sibley was not among the nine substitutes but after the game Rooney said: “He took a knock a couple of days ago so he was unavailable for the game. Hopefully he will be fine for the next game.”
Derby’s next match is a Championship clash against Sheffield United at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday.