Derby's Aborted Takeover Contributes to Poor Championship Start
Derby County's failed takeover by Turki Alalshikh disrupted summer transfers and has left the Rams in the Championship relegation zone with five points from eight games under head coach John Eustace.
Derby County's season has been thrown off course by the last-minute collapse of Turki Alalshikh's takeover on the eve of the campaign. The Rams have managed just five points from their opening eight Championship matches and sit in the relegation zone, with Mo Fuseini's late equaliser at Burnley preventing them from entering the international break bottom of the table.
The aborted takeover, which fell through an hour before completion in August, forced the club to scramble in the transfer market. Head coach John Eustace admitted that momentum was lost on key targets. Derby missed out on Liam Millar, who joined Birmingham City on loan, and Ben Brereton Diaz, who returned to Sheffield United after a successful loan spell at Pride Park last season. Wage demands also scuppered a move for Birmingham winger Patrick Roberts.
Chief executive Stephen Pearce denied that recruitment was impacted, telling BBC Radio Derby that the club "hadn't lost anything we wanted to do," but Eustace acknowledged a review of targets was necessary. The Rams did secure Bobby Clark for £6m and David Ozoh for £4m on deadline day, but these returns only restored the squad to last season's level rather than strengthening it. Injuries have compounded matters, with Matt Clarke, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, Eiran Cashin and Derry Murkin all sidelined, preventing Eustace from fielding a consistent back four.
Despite the poor start, Eustace's job is not under threat. He has a track record of turning form around, having saved Blackburn from relegation in 2023-24 and guided Derby to improved form last season after a similar slow start. Supporters remain frustrated, with some questioning the club's transfer strategy, but many acknowledge the difficult circumstances. Derby host Wrexham on Saturday, and Eustace will need to rally his depleted squad to avoid another season of struggle.
The Rams' situation mirrors last term, when they also had eight points from their first 10 games. However, their form over the final 36 matches would have been enough for a fifth-place finish. That history offers hope that Eustace can steer Derby away from trouble, but the perfect storm of takeover turmoil and injuries has made that task significantly harder.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
