Derby County are reportedly ‘back in crisis’ after a new Mel Morris update emerges while Mike Ashley remains keen to buy the club.
The former Newcastle owner has made renewed contact with Quantuma, Derby County’s administrators, however there has been no response from them to Ashley’s approach, despite the period of exclusivity granted to prospective buyer Chris Kirchner expiring on Saturday night.
Fair dos to Kirchner, he kept his followers in the know with fans wanting answers, but negotiations with outgoing Derby owner Mel Morris over a separate deal for the stadium have reached an impasse.
š« āTheyāre having problems with Melā¦ā
š āThey are having arguments about the price of the stadium.ā
ā āThis deal cannot be done if the stadium is not sold.ā
Simon Jordan tells us what prospective #DCFC owner Chris Kirchner told him about his attempts to buy the club. pic.twitter.com/43ADDmhFTC
ā talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 9, 2022
Derby County fans had hopes of an early end to takeover talks, but according to journalist Alan Nixon, that could be ruined.
Kirchner has been in discussions for a while now and on the day of Derby’s final league game of the season, Wayne Rooney spoke saying that he thought it would be a ābig 24 hoursā ahead.
Rooney said the Kirchner talks were ongoing and that āthe stadium is the last pieceā, but then it was revealed that the American cannot be unveiled as their new owner until current issues over Pride Park are resolved ā with Mel Morris wanting up to Ā£20m in order to hand the ground over.
This could price Chris Kirchner out of a move, while reports say it could even lead to him writing other potential parties out of a move too because of the sheer amount that would have to be pumped in to now get a deal over the line.
The club’s future remains uncertain and there is even prospect of a ground-share agreement next season with the likes of Stoke or Leicester.
Quantuma’s latest statement issued on Monday however read: “Since announcing Mr. Kirchner as preferred bidder we have progressed through most of the outstanding issues with the preferred bidder and there are now just a small number of outstanding matters to be agreed with the EFL and in relation to the club’s stadium at Pride Park.
“We consider that matters can be resolved in a short period of time and are grateful for the assistance of all stakeholders relating to the stadium.”
In the aftermath of the administrators statement, Kirchner took to Twitter to provide an update of his own. He said: “As the press release from Quantuma said… we’ve extended our exclusivity period.
“Our focus now is on a few small contractual elements with the league and the purchase of the stadium. We are working to privately purchase the stadium in order to expedite the closure of this deal.
“That’s all I can share at this point out of respect for the process and parties involved, but my intention and expectation is to sign the agreement to purchase the club before the expiration of the exclusivity period.”
CHRIS KIRCHNER’S OTHERS TWEETS
In response to a fan saying ‘please don’t give up on us, he said: “Iām not. Iām still here. Iāve gotten myself sick trying to get this completed. So many people on my side have worked through the night all week. Wayne even was with us until almost 3a Friday night. We want to be a part of Derby and are doing all we can.”
“Iāve spoken to Mel this morning in a meeting with several of the key parties. We remain at an impasse, but Iām hopeful everyone will come around to agree to save this great football club and so that we can move on with rebuilding it.
“I want to also say that it has been brought to my attention that Mel has received death threats and other threatening messages. There is absolutely NO place for that. Tensions are high. There is an unbelievable amount of emotion involved. However, violence and/or the threat of it is NEVER acceptable and I ask that everyone lets this play out in an appropriate manner.”
@WayneRooney “I know that @cskirchner has done everything he can, I was with him till 2.30am this morning and he has explored every opportunity….
Meetings are ongoing now and I hope we can look forward to an exciting summer. It’s a big 24 hours.” #dcfc pic.twitter.com/gxIQCkui8cā axeproductionsuk (@lou_bawden) May 7, 2022
Meanwhile, Derby supporters’ groups Black & White Together (BAWT) and Punjabi Rams have claimed that a local businessman is attempting to buy Pride Park Stadium to aid Chris Kirchner’s takeover of the club.
“BAWT can confirm a local businessman is trying to buy Pride Park Stadium from Mel Morris to facilitate Chris Kirchner’s takeover as the Council’s due diligence will take too long,” the supporters’ group tweeted on Sunday evening. “However, this will still require Mel Morris’s approval.”
Punjabi Rams shared a similar tweet claiming to have spoken with the unnamed individual. “Weāve just got off the phone to a Rams fan,” they tweeted, “a local businessman who has pulled together a group of investors to buy the ground.
“They are serious and have calls later tonight to progress the matter. They want the best for Derby and weāll keep fans updated.”
With Derby reportedly ‘back in crisis’ after a new Mel Morris update emerges while Mike Ashley remains keen, social media users had their say…
@ConnorParker10: Why donāt you just fill him in
@cossie1973: Wasnāt ever going to be sorted with one meeting but provided everyone is on the same page and you remain hopeful still gives me hopeā¦letās keep our fingers crossed that you @cskirchner can be announced as our new owner
@NG16walker: Great football club?? Have you lost interest in buying Derby then?
@CScollett: Steve Gibsons fault
@DarranA1979: When do the ongoing discussions take place? Emotions are extremely high and the club means so much to the fans, death threats etc are unacceptable. However, Mel is holding the club/potential new owner to ransom which is also unacceptable. šš»šā¤ļø
@DerbyBrewingCo: Unfortunately Mel appears to be treating this like any business deal. Mel itās a football club not any business, so if you love the club & the city as you claim itās time to show it & do the right thing. Even giving up PP for Ā£1 wouldnāt change your life financially
@TreeBlackwell: As a loyal member of this country, can you tell us Chris when the tax bill will be paid in full? Thatās a key thing here before the club can go forward
@storm16540959: Letās be honest no one asked him to run up ridiculous debts thatās on Morris. Grateful that you are still trying to sort things buts it clear Morris is the problem and been the problem all along ! MM needs to do the right thing
@MarkPadmore: Thanks for your updates as ever Chris. Communication is vital to us fans and I totally agree with you that death threats are unnecessary to say the least. Please keep at the good work
#SaveDerbyCounty #dcfcfans #dcfc
@ian_allsop: Markeaton Park at home games it is thenā¦ nice. Make sure the paddling pool, bouncy castle and boating lakes are open when Shrewsbury etc come to visit
@_Bish___: so where do we go from here? how are we meant to hold onto the shreds of hope we had left? no more games, no more revenue, no more opportunity for us to show how much we need this club.
@KayGeeSnazz: In out, in out, shake it all about, man are treating Derby County like some fucking playground. This is a myth now š #dcfc #dcfcfans
@bencashmore10: At this point, be it Kirchner or Ashley, I donāt care. Whoever buys the club & sorts a deal with that bald prick for OUR stadium, so be it. Just for fuck sake, Save Derby County & allow us to go watch them next season. #dcfc
@DarrenDoherty83: Just to put it into perspective. MM put us into admin because he was no longer willing to spend 1m a month to keep us afloat. But he’s willing to lose 60m on the stadium, 10s of million in players leaving out of contract, and selling the club for next to nothing? #dcfc
@lukeyboy1865: Mel’s got them on strings
How it started VS how itās going (Derby County edition) #NFFC #dcfc pic.twitter.com/zR1SbFTCVn
ā Marsh š¹šš (@MarshNFFC) May 8, 2022
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