Derby County: Potential buyer fears club is heading for liquidation

Pride Park is still owned by Mel Morris

One of the potential buyers of stricken Championship club Derby County fears the club is heading for liquidation.

The Binnie family submitted a formal £28m takeover offer last month.

It did not include the stadium, which is still owned by Mel Morris, who put Derby into administration in September.

However, the family are getting frustrated at the lack of progress surrounding the deal and the lack of a resolution to the compensation claims of Middlesbrough and Wycombe.

While English Football League sources argue this is not the only impediment to a deal, BBC Sport has been told by a source close to the Binnie camp that there is increasing concern that the legal actions are driving Derby towards liquidation.

It has been reported the Binnie family were willing to take responsibility for the claims but the intention is in fact to work with the administrators and the EFL to resolve the situation.

It has also been suggested a combined payment of around £7m would settle the issue but the Binnie family are reluctant to commit to what would effectively be a 10% addition to the total cost of buying Derby and the stadium, which has a charge on it in excess of £20m to American finance company MSD, which Morris is the guarantor for.

The Binnie family are not prepared to take the risk of losing in court, even though many feel the chances of that happening are slim, and do not think any other investor would do so either.

Where is the money going?

Meanwhile, Derby County manager Wayne Rooney has said he would "like to know where the money is going" at the club.

The January transfer window saw nine players leave Pride Park but the Rams remain under a transfer embargo.

The EFL has demanded the club provide proof of funds that Derby can fulfil the rest of the season by the beginning of March.

"I'd like to know where the money is going," Rooney told BBC Radio Derby. "Surely now there is proof of funds?

"A lot of money has come in. Hopefully the EFL can lift the embargo and there might be free agents I can bring in."

Rooney said other clubs had taken advantage of Derby's situation with a host of players leaving.

Omari Kellyman, a 16-year-old academy product, became the latest to depart when he was sold to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

"He didn't want to leave the club, I didn't want him to leave the club but I got a text message to say he's been sold," Rooney added.

"It was very painful to get that on the day of a game and it's something we have to sort out."

Derby remain seven points from safety in the Championship after Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield.