Derby sale collapses after Alalshikh walks away
Derby County will remain under Clowes Developments after Turki Alalshikh’s Lion Sport consortium withdrew from an approved deal to acquire control of the Championship club, citing insufficient preparation time following delays in completing the regulatory process.
Derby County have been taken off the market after Saudi sports executive Turki Alalshikh’s Lion Sport consortium withdrew from a proposed controlling investment despite securing approval from the Independent Football Regulator and EFL.The deal had been expected to provide Derby with substantial new financial backing as they target a return to the Premier League, but Alalshikh concluded that regulatory delays had left insufficient time to prepare for the new Championship season.Derby said: “The purchase process had been sanctioned by both the Independent Football Regulator and the EFL, notification of which the club received last week. However, today the club received notice that Lion Sport no longer wanted to continue with the purchase.”The club added: “For the benefit of any doubt, the club is now off the market and will continue to operate under the loyal, committed and unwavering support of Clowes Developments.”Alalshikh confirmed that timing rather than regulatory rejection had ended the transaction, while leaving open the possibility of renewed discussions at a later stage.He said: “We understood that the IFR process takes time and fully respect the importance of that, but unfortunately with the season already started, it would leave us with no time to prepare the team or the club for the season ahead.“After careful consideration, we don’t feel it is right to proceed at this time without the necessary preparation in place, but we will remain in conversation with the club and see what is possible in the future.”Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and a central figure in Riyadh Season’s boxing investment, previously owned Spanish club Almería and Egyptian side Pyramids.Clowes Developments rescued Derby from administration in 2022, acquiring the club after a financial crisis that threatened their existence before overseeing promotion back to the Championship.The aborted transaction represented an early high-profile ownership process involving England’s Independent Football Regulator, with both regulatory bodies ultimately clearing the proposed acquisition.Derby will now continue under Clowes Developments with no immediate plan to seek another buyer, although Alalshikh’s decision to maintain contact leaves open the possibility of negotiations being revived in the future.