Derby County: US-based Binnie family submit takeover offer for Championship club

Derby County will play East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest on Saturday

A wealthy US family, based in New England, have made a formal offer to buy Championship club Derby County.

The club's administrators had hoped to name a preferred bidder earlier this month, with three parties interested.

But the process has been bogged down by the English Football League's demand for proof of how Derby will be funded for the rest of the season.

Administrators Quantuma are also having to deal with compensation claims against Derby from fellow EFL clubs Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers.

BBC Radio Derby reports that the bid does not cover the Rams' Pride Park stadium, which is owned by former club chairman Mel Morris.

• Rooney 'flattered' by Everton link
• Rams 'will run out of cash' in February
• Boro & Wycombe open to Derby compromise

Derby were placed into administration last September by Morris and the club were hit with deductions totalling 21 points, leaving them facing relegation to League One.

Despite that, impressive form under manager Wayne Rooney has seen the team climb off the bottom of the table and they are within eight points of safety.

Speaking on Friday, before reports of the Binnies' interest, Rooney told BBC Sport: "Derby County is much more than just a football club. It gives everyone in the city hope, it gives kids a dream of playing for their club. It helps numerous charities around the city.

"Let's hope we get the help we need or this will be a massive loss to Derby."

Those interested in buying the club include a consortium including ex-Derby chairman Andy Appleby and former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.

US businessman Chris Kirchner, from Texas, submitted an offer for the club but withdrew it just before Christmas.

Carlisle Capital was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been an investor in more than 15 countries around the world, the company website says.

Vice-president Adam Binnie is understood to be leading the move for Derby, and has been informed about additional liabilities that the club could face, which rests largely on the outcome of the action by Middlesbrough and Wycombe.

Both clubs claim to have lost out because of Derby's financial rule breaches - Middlesbrough finished below the Rams in the race for the play-offs in 2019, while Wycombe were relegated to the third tier last season, which may not have happened had a points deduction been imposed in 2020-21.

Analysis

BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone

This news has to be seen as a positive for Derby, given that only yesterday the administrators said none of the three interested parties would move forward without the Middlesbrough and Wycombe situations being resolved.

However, question marks remain over the bid. If it doesn't include the stadium, which Mel Morris owns, how do the Binnie family intend to bring the whole club back under one umbrella?

Will this deal with the MSD Holdings loan, which is secured against the stadium? And will it make Middlesbrough and Wycombe even more determined not to abandon their compensation quest?

It will also be interesting to see the reaction of competing bids, led by former chairman Andy Appleby and ex-Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.

For the first time in many days, though, Derby fans have a reason for optimism.