Players sale not certainty

DERBY County administrator Carl Jackson is keeping an open mind when it comes to the prospect of players being sold in January.

Figures released at the weekend showed the Rams owe £29m to HMRC, £20m to MSD holdings and £15m to other creditors.

Those eye-watering numbers mean it is essential a buyer is found. If no takeover is completed before the end of the year then it is logical to suggest players could be sold to prop up the club.

However, Jackson said that with so much uncertainty at present it is impossible to say what will happen to players who could attract a significant transfer fee, such as Jason Knight and Max Bird.

“We will keep an open mind on that,” he said.

“We don’t see that as our priority at the moment. Our priority is to actually land on a preferred buyer, get our deals done, if I can call it that, with HMRC and others, and put a proposal together.

“We will see what the timing looks like on that and we will form a view on transfers. We will obviously want to engage with Wayne (Rooney) and he will be absolutely key. That is our preference, not to do anything.”

One positive piece of news Jackson revealed was that should the club be able to land a new owner, as he is confident they will, then any transfer embargo will be lifted.

“The EFL have made it clear to me and this is why we have agreed to the decision that was made. That was subject to long negotiation and discussion, that any new buyer will be free from the embargo.

“They will have to sit down with the Football League, agree the business plan and as long as the new buyers work within that business plan, then they will have a good relationship with the Football League and they will be able to do stuff that the club haven’t been able to do over the last year or two.”