WAYNE: I’M SURE PLANGE WILL DO THE RAMS PROUD
WAYNE Rooney has “no worries” about Luke Plange’s “attitude and commitment” to Derby’s fight for survival - despite the youngster securing a transfer deadline-day move to Crystal Palace.
The 19-year-old forward joined the Eagles for a fee of around £1m, but will stay with the Rams on loan until the end of the season.
Palace swooped amid the financial crisis at Derby, and boss Rooney said: “It’s a difficult one. I think from my point of view... I still feel he can develop a lot more under me, with this club, but on the other hand the club need that money and we still have the player.
“Unfortunately that’s the position we’re in as a club at the moment, so ideally we would have liked to have kept him and worked with him again next season, but that’s where we’re at.
“I’ve no worries about his attitude and commitment to the team. He’ll do everything he can to try and help us get us out of this situation.”
It was feared Derby’s squad would be stripped bare before the deadline, but Rooney managed to keep hold of most of his key players and added: “It could have been worse, but it could have been better as well.
“Obviously, I didn’t want to see any players leaving, but, ultimately, that’s where we’ve been left as a club.
“Thankfully, I’ve kept the majority of the squad and this is my squad now, this is what we’ve got to try and ensure survival.”
Meanwhile, the EFL have requested that key parties, including Middlesbrough and Wycombe, who both have unresolved compensation claims against Derby, come together to help resolve the Rams’ future.
In a statement on Thursday, the league said: “The EFL has previously requested mediation between the two clubs and the administrators (Quantuma) and is today inviting all relevant and associated parties involved to enter formal collaborative negotiations to actively seek out the compromises and solutions required to ensure that Derby County has a long-term future.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, the EFL is requesting the attendance of administrators and the following stakeholders to participate: the current highest bidder(s), Middlesbrough FC, Wycombe Wanderers FC, Mel Morris, (American finance company) MSD Partners and HMRC.”
Ex-Rams owner Morris has suggested he would be willing for Boro and Wycombe to make their claims to the High Court against him personally, potentially breaking the current impasse.