Derby County’s Royal Rescue? Inside the Shocking Collapse of a £60M Deal with Abu Dhabi Billionaire!
From Takeover Dream to Total Disappointment: The Inside Story of Derby County’s Failed Deal with a Gulf Billionaire
It was meant to be the turning point. A new era. The day Derby County stepped out of financial trouble and into the global spotlight. But the much-hyped takeover by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan didn’t just fall through—it left our club reeling.
Here’s the full story of what really happened behind the scenes of one of the most dramatic “what could’ve been” moments in modern Rams history.
The Promise of a Bright Future
Back in late 2020, Derby fans were cautiously optimistic. News broke that Derventio Holdings (UK) Ltd—linked directly to Sheikh Khaled and his Dubai-based Bin Zayed Group—was close to completing a takeover of the club.
We were told it was “a matter of days.” The EFL had reportedly approved the new ownership under the Owners’ and Directors’ Test. All that remained was for the paperwork to be finalised.
For fans, worn down by off-field uncertainty and Championship mediocrity, the promise of serious Middle Eastern investment felt like a lifeline. The Sheikh, cousin to Manchester City’s Sheikh Mansour, had tried (and failed) to buy both Liverpool and Newcastle United. Now, he was turning his attention to Derby County.
Green Lights and Glitzy Plans
Talks progressed. Steve McClaren was brought back in a new role as technical director, a move said to have been supported by both Mel Morris and the incoming owners. It felt like the foundations of a serious footballing project were being laid.
Speculation swirled about new infrastructure, a bolstered squad, and a long-term push for promotion. After years of teetering on the edge, things finally felt like they were turning our way.
But Then… Silence
Weeks passed. Then months. Excitement slowly turned to confusion, then frustration. Deadline after deadline was missed. Updates were vague. Rumours started flying—delays in funding, unanswered emails, shifting goalposts.
In March 2021, Mel Morris finally pulled the plug. The Bin Zayed Group had failed to meet a final deadline to complete the deal. The takeover was officially off.
Fans were left stunned. How could a group so close to the finish line simply disappear? The deal we’d pinned our hopes on evaporated.
The Fallout
The damage was immediate. The club, already in financial difficulty, had spent months banking on a fresh cash injection. With the takeover gone, Derby were left exposed. The cracks widened quickly.
By September 2021, the club entered administration. That came with a 12-point deduction—and with it, a fight for survival in the Championship. What should’ve been a year of revival became one of the darkest chapters in our history.
What We Know Now
Sheikh Khaled’s group had made big promises—but this wasn’t the first time he’d failed to follow through. His attempts to buy Newcastle and Liverpool had also fizzled out. While some insist the intentions were genuine, others believe the takeover was never as close as it seemed.
Mel Morris, desperate to sell and frustrated by months of stalling, made the call that ended it all.
The Real Rescue
While Sheikh Khaled’s name faded, a true saviour stepped forward in 2022: local businessman and lifelong Rams fan David Clowes.
Clowes bought the club and the stadium, pulling us out of administration and setting a new course—one that values stability, community, and long-term growth over big talk and false promises.
The Takeaway for Rams Fans
We’ve learned a lot in the past few years. Flashy names and royal titles mean nothing if they don’t deliver. The failed Bin Zayed deal will go down as one of the biggest “what-ifs” in Derby history—but in the end, we didn’t need a billionaire to save us. We just needed one of our own.
Here’s to looking forward—not at broken promises, but at a club finally back on its feet.
Come on you Rams.
