Ram raid is ‘on the brink of collapse’
DERBY owner Mel Morris’s hopes of selling the club to Derventio Holdings are fading amid fears that the deal is on the brink of collapse.
Club sources are adamant that the proposed £60million takeover of the Rams by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan has not been formally taken off the table.
But there are now very serious concerns that the deal is off and that Morris will have to start looking for another new buyer.
Sheikh Khaled, a relative of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nehayan, was given the green light to buy the Rams by the EFL in October after reaching an agreement in principle with Morris.
It was hoped that a deal would be tied up in November at the latest.
But it has dragged on to such an extent that the players were paid late in December and, barring a U-turn from Derventio, it is now understood that is unlikely to go ahead.
Meanwhile, Derby’s third successive 1-0 win, courtesy of Colin KazimRichards, lifted them five points clear of the drop zone.
And Boss Wayne Rooney is confident of making at least a couple of signings.
He said: “I’m hoping to have players in tomorrow morning and I’m fairly confident there will be.”
The defeat dented City’s promotion hopes and boss Dean Holden said: “That was nowhere near the level we expect.”
DERBY: Marshall 6; Byrne 6, Wisdom 6, Clarke 7, Buchanan 8; Bielik 7 (Waghorn
36th, 6), Shinnie 7; Jozwiak 6 (McDonald
87th, 5), Bird 7, Knight 6; Kazim-Richards
7 (Hector-Ingram 91st)
BRISTOL CITY: Bentley 7; Hunt 7, Kalas
6, Mawson 7, Rowe 5 (Mariappa 34th,
6); Semenyo 5 (Martin 67th, 6), Nagy
6, Vyner 6 (Bakinson 67th, 6), Palmer 6 (Massengo 79, 5); Wells 5 (Edwards 79th,
5), Diedhiou 6
STAR MAN: Lee Buchanan
REF: D England