American billionaire Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, is in advanced talks with Derby County.
Dell, 55, is said to have a net worth of $31.2 billion and is discussing investment in the English Championship club with owner Mel Morris. Derby were previously owned by a combination of Morris and an American investment group
Per the report from The Telegraph the Texas businessman is keen to invest and Derby’s current owner Morris has been ‘seeking additional funding for over two years and was previously in talks with Henry Gabay, a London-based businessman, but a deal has stalled due to a number of factors including the sacking of former club captain Richard Keogh and the English Football League charge.’
An English Football League investigation is currently looking into the deal which allowed Derby’s current owner Morris to buy their Pride Park stadium as the EFL state Derby “recorded losses in excess of the permitted amounts provided for in EFL regulations for the three-year period ending 30 June 2018.”
The Rams have come close to promotion back to the Premier League on many occasions over the last decade but have come up short in the playoffs time and time again as they lost in the final to Aston Villa last season under Frank Lampard’s tutelage.
With legendary Dutch midfield Phillip Cocu currently their manager they sit six points off the playoffs with nine games of the season to go and since Wayne Rooney’s arrival in January they’ve surged up the table.
Dell will obviously invest in Derby with possible Premier League promotion in mind as his investment would be a lot lower initially and if Derby were able to sneak into the playoffs this season and seal promotion, a cash windfall of over $190 million would arrive.