Football finance expert gives Derby County verdict as Pride Park update revealed

The latest Derby County headlines brought to you by DerbyshireLive on May 26, 2022…

Finance expert compares Derby County to Wigan Athletic

Derby County could follow a Wigan Athletic blueprint in order to bounce back from financial difficulties and restore success at Pride Park. The Latics have proven that administration does not always kill success having won promotion back to the Championship as League One title winners this season.

Kircher’s deal to buy Derby includes paying 35p in the pound to non-football creditors over the course of three years, which will ensure Derby will not be handed a points deduction giving them a clean slate to attack the season. And Maguire feels that, financially in the short-term, that will allow Kirchner to concentrate on building a squad.

“The big positive you can take from this is that look at Wigan Athletic,” finance expert Kieran Maguire told DerbyshireLive.

“They went into administration and they’ve just come out as champions. I saw one of their directors on Monday, I was chatting away with him, and they seem very, very happy with what’s happened there.

“While Chris Kirchner has got to build up the asset base in terms of the playing squad, he doesn’t have to worry about the creditors. They won’t have the same level of bills that need paying in the short term, especially assuming that he’s taking the three-year 35 per cent option in terms of coming out of administration.

“He can effectively park that bus. What happens when Derby get back to the Championship is who knows? The way he’s talking it is sort of Sunderland budget in League One and a Wycombe budget in the Championship. That’s when fans’ impatience starts to appear. But it could be that the fan base having been through the Mel Morris experience that they want a sustainable club as opposed to a club which is living beyond its means.”

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League One rival pulls out race to sign Derby County transfer target

Portsmouth have pulled out of the race to sign Hartlepool United forward Luke Molyneux as the striker continues to be linked with a move to Derby County.

Molyneux has reportedly attracted the interest of the Rams with the forward available on a free transfer having so far failed to sign a new deal in the northeast.

Derbyshire Live has learned that Molyneux is contemplating a switch in agents as the race to sign him intensifies, but he won’t be heading to Portsmouth who have backed out of a potential move.

Pompey boss Danny Cowley has been to watch the forward but has decided not to make a move for Molyneux who scored 12 goals for Pools last season.

Derby have a chance to build a new forward line next season should Chris Kirchner’s takeover be completed with just six players contracted to the club next season.

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New documents reveal Pride Park update

The company Mel Morris used to buy Pride Park from Derby County has published its latest accounts.

Figures show that former Rams owner Morris still values the stadium at £81m, though his asking price to sell Pride Park is reportedly around the £22m mark. American businessman Chris Kirchner cannot complete his takeover until he either owns or leases the stadium.

It was reported last week that local property firm Clowes Developments was closing in on a deal to buy the stadium, though they moved quickly to refute the claims. Plans were for Derby City Council to purchase the stadium and lease it to Kirchner, though Morris’ asking price is said to be too high for that to be possible.

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Rams duo called up for international duty

Derby County’s Jason Knight and the outgoing Festy Ebosele have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their Nations League clashes next month.

Ireland face a hectic schedule with four games in 10 days as they face Ukraine home and away, Scotland and Armenia. Knight has featured regularly for Ireland under Stephen Kenny and has so far won 11 caps for his country.

For Ebosele, it is his first call-up to the senior Ireland squad which comes on the back of an impressive season at the Rams. But he will be leaving to join Udinese this summer having signed a pre-contract agreement with the Italian side.

The winger, who has featured for the under-21s, scored two goals and registered one assist during his 37 games for Derby last season.

News of the duo’s inclusion in the Ireland squad comes after Rams forward Bartosz Cybulski was called up to the Poland Under-20s side to face Italy next month.

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