Derby County: Chris Kirchner determined to complete Rams purchase

Chris Kirchner (centre) has been to Pride Park a number of times to watch Derby County play

Prospective owner Chris Kirchner remains in the UK and determined to complete his purchase of Derby County, despite missing the Friday 17:00 BST deadline set by the club's administrators to show he would be able to proceed.

Although administrators Quantuma are now talking to other parties, and are understood to have made contact with the team handling Mike Ashley's effort to buy Derby late on Friday, Kirchner remains in a strong position given his deal has been accepted and he has passed the English Football League's owners' and directors' test.

Derby's administrators said in a statement on Saturday that they wanted to "reassure all parties and supporters that they do not discriminate against any party, if a bid is deliverable and credible".

They added: "The joint administrators wish to confirm they are engaging with a number of parties who have expressed a desire to acquire the club.

"As confirmed in [Friday's] update, Mr. Kirchner is one of those parties, as he continues to seek to provide us with satisfactory evidence that he is in a position to complete the acquisition of the club."

BBC Sport has been told the hold-up around Kirchner's deal is that his funds are currently sitting in a clearing account awaiting anti-money laundering approvals. It is not known when these checks will be completed.

Eyebrows were raised when Kirchner appeared at Wednesday's Pro-Am for the LIV golf tournament but it is understood this appearance was business related.

The delays around completing the sale have led to huge criticism of Quantuma, while there have also been suggestions Kirchner could have sorted his funding in a different way in order to avoid the present issues.

Derby's administrators criticised the "level of inaccuracies reported" in relation to the circumstances surrounding the takeover of the club, calling them "divisive and unnecessarily driving both a rumour mill and growing anxiety, uncertainty, and ill feeling amongst supporters".

They also clarified that that they are yet to receive any payment for their work, and "have accrued substantial out of pocket expenses". There had previously been reports that Derby's administration bill from Quantuma could reach £3m.

The EFL is known to be unhappy about the situation given there are now less than two weeks before the release of fixtures for next season, which begins on 30 July.

Former Newcastle owner Ashley has written to Quantuma, via his lawyers, saying he "remains willing and ready to transact", according to the PA news agency.

Ashley first showed interest in buying Derby in October after he had sold Newcastle, but he made clear in his letter to Quantuma, seen by the agency, that he did not want "to be treated as a contingency measure and would require some form of security" before resuming possible takeover talks.