Chris Kirchner issues Derby County takeover update following talks with Mel Morris

Chris Kirchner has revealed that talks have taken place with former Derby County chairman Mel Morris regarding the sale of Pride Park – but an ‘impasse’ still remains which is holding up the completion of his takeover.

I’ve spoken to Mel this morning in a meeting with several of the key parties. We remain at an impasse, but I’m hopeful everyone will come around to agree to save this great football club and so that we can move on with rebuilding it.

— Chris Kirchner (@cskirchner) May 8, 2022

The American businessman was named as the preferred bidder for County a number of weeks ago after returning to the fold following his rejected offer in December, following which he had a brief flirtation with bidding for Championship outfit Preston North End.

An update from the EFL this past week confirmed that they are satisfied with Kirchner’s funding and the source of which it has come from, but hurdles still remained in order to complete the deal – one of which being the ownership of Pride Park.

Morris, who owned County and put them into administration in September 2021, is still the owner of Derby’s stadium and Kirchner has previously refused to negotiate with Morris regarding the asset, with the hope that Derby City Council will agree a price and then lease Pride Park to Kirchner.

However contact has now been made between the two businessmen in a meeting with several key parties to the deal, but the issues still remain and a takeover is no closer to being completed.

The Verdict

With Kirchner’s exclusivity period to purchase the club now ended, literally anything can happen in this saga.

It has been claimed that the club has now run out of money until a takeover is concluded as well, and without Morris giving up Pride Park then