Derby County: Binnie family say club has ended talks with them
- Published
Pride Park is still owned by former Derby owner Mel Morris
One of the long-term interested parties to buy Derby County say the Championship club's administrators have ended discussions with them after deciding their latest £30m offer was too low.
The Binnie family submitted their latest offer on Monday in the belief there were no other bids on the table.
The figure was to include the purchase of the club and Pride Park stadium, currently owned by Mel Morris.
It was felt the sum accurately reflected the reduced status of Derby following the sale of players during the January transfer window and the bid was submitted on the understanding the sum would not prevent the club being hit with a 15-point deduction next season for failing to pay creditors 25% of what they are owed.
A 72-hour window was put on the bid but administrators Quantuma responded to the family on Tuesday to say no.
"We increased our offer to £30m for Derby as a whole," Adam Binnie told BBC Sport.
"We had many discussions with the administrators and had been working behind the scenes to purchase the club since June.
"We made many attempts and had worked incredibly hard to buy the club. The administrators gave us a response that they no longer wished to speak to us unless we increase our offer."
It is thought Qunatuma are still looking for around £50m, which includes £20m for the stadium. Morris has borrowed money from American finance company MSD Holdings to help fund the club, and that loan is lodged against Pride Park.
The Binnie family do not believe the financial state of the club warrants such an expenditure given more is now needed to be spent on Wayne Rooney's depleted squad.
In addition, the club - currently third from bottom in the table, five points behind fourth-bottom Reading having played a game more - would face a reduction of £5m in central payments from the English Football League if they were relegated.
Former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and a consortium headed by former Derby chairman Andy Appleby have been heavily linked with the club.
It is not known whether they are still active but the latest development is bound to be a massive concern to fans, who have long feared for the future of one of England's oldest clubs.
"Wayne Rooney and his team and the Derby fans have been a credit to this great football club and do not deserve the suffering that is being imposed on them," Binnie added.
"They are not responsible for the issues of the past. The wrong people are being punished."
Quantuma have been contacted by the BBC and asked to provide an update on a number of outstanding issues, including the status of the preferred bidder.