I want to rebuild this club – Wayne Rooney committed to Derby despite relegation

Wayne Rooney is “excited” by the challenge of leading Derby back to the Championship but insists both his and the club’s future rests on the completion of a takeover.

The Rams, deducted 21 points this season after going into administration, were relegated to League One with three games remaining after losing 1-0 to QPR.

Defeat left them 10 points behind Reading, who came from 4-1 down to snatch a last-gasp draw with Swansea.

Rooney said: “I am disappointed, sad, angry, upset, but ultimately proud of the players, staff and fans, who have been excellent.

“I said to the players after the game, ‘When you walk out of that dressing room, walk out with your head high. Don’t let your heads drop’.

Accounting breaches under previous owner Mel Morris added a further nine points to the standard 12-point administration penalty, and without the combined deduction Rooney’s side would be comfortably safe on 52 points.

Rooney added: “We know we’d be safe without the penalties we’ve had. This is where we’ve been left by the previous owner and we’ve been trying to pick up the pieces from that and trying to pull off something really special. We’ve got close and haven’t managed to do it.

“I’m sure Mr Morris watched the game at home. He’ll be disappointed himself, because we’ve tried to fix the mess he’s left us in as best we can.”

Derby’s joint administrators have named Chris Kirchner as the preferred bidder for the club and entered a period of exclusivity aimed at ending a protracted takeover process.

And Rooney emphasised the importance of a deal being completed – and soon.

“It has to happen quickly,” he said.

“I’m not stupid. I know Premier League teams and top clubs in the Championship are looking at some of our players.

“I need to be