Potential boost emerges in Chris Kirchner’s takeover bid of Derby County

Derby County preferred bidder Chris Kirchner already took the ‘fit and proper persons’ test last year in a development that could speed up the club’s takeover process, as per Derbyshire Live.

Kirchner has been involved in English football since October last year when he launched a reported £50m bid to try and take control of the Rams who were in administration even back then – but pulled out of the race in December in what was a blow to the East Midlands club.

He then moved on to Preston North End and was thought to be on the verge of a takeover at Deepdale before submitting two lower offers that were unacceptable to the Hemmings family, with the Lilywhites releasing a statement last month confirming they weren’t in talks with other parties.

A major twist then occurred earlier this week when Kirchner was named preferred bidder of the Rams despite previously exiting the running, a major boost for the relegation battlers who were previously struggling to name a suitable party to own the club and were reported to be weeks away from liquidation.

Derby are still in financial peril with a takeover not yet completed though and this process could potentially take months to finalise, a nervous wait for the second-tier side’s fans who will want to see the long-term future of their club secured as quickly as possible.

One factor that could make the process speedier is the fact Kirchner already took the ‘fit and proper persons’ test last year when he was trying to purchase Wayne Rooney’s side, an assessment that enables the EFL to judge whether they are a suitable person or consortium to own a club in the second, third or fourth tier of English football.

The Verdict:

Considering the situation Derby are in with a limited time in