Rams takeover talk is news to Pearson
CHAIRMAN of football Adam Pearson says he knows "absolutely nothing" about a reported planned takeover of Derby County by a wealthy Saudi Arabian family.
The Mail on Sunday has run a story which Pearson said is a rehash of a similar report the same newspaper printed some weeks ago.
The Saudis, according to the report, will this week begin their bid to become English football's second set of Arab owners, following the buy-out at Manchester City.
It is said they will make an offer of £22m for the Rams with a pledge to invest a further £10m, mostly on players.
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But Pearson, who owns seven per cent of the club, brushed off the claim.
"In relation to the same journalist printing the same story about the Saudi Arabian family making an offer for the club, it is news to [chairman] Andy Appleby and I," he said.
"We have not heard anything either at the time of the original article or at the time of this rehashed article.
"All I can say is that we know absolutely nothing about it."
One of Derby's remaining unnamed investors is from Lebanon.
"I suppose that could have led to some confusion but for the story to run again, we find surprising because we have had no contact whatsoever from whoever this family is in Saudi Arabia," added Pearson.
"Obviously, if we do get contact we will let people know but at this stage we have had no contact at all."
The report also claimed former England boss Steve McClaren could be the new manager but this is wide of the mark.
McClaren, an ex-Rams player and coach, is building his reputation again with Dutch club FC Twente in Holland.
He has guided them to third in the Dutch league and into the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup.
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