Derby County are set to embark on a prosperous new chapter in the club's 142-year history with Saudi Arabian billionaire investor Turki Alalshikh set to finalise an investment deal that will provide the Rams with significant funds.
A prominent Saudi government official who is best known worldwide for his standing within boxing, where he is the co-founder of Zuffa Boxing, Alalshikh has been in talks with Derby's owner David Clowes since May.
Clowes had sought financial assistance since saving the club from liquidation in 2022 and held talks with a number of finance groups over the years, but it appears Alalshikh is the investor who will be funding Derby's charge towards the Premier League.
Telegraph journalist John Percy revealed on X that Derby are awaiting the green light from the Independent Football Regulator as they inch closer to completing a lucrative investment deal with Alalshikh.
While Alalshikh is renowned for his influence in boxing, the Derby deal is not his first venture into football and the Saudi Arabia figurehead was linked with brokering a potential investment opportunity at Bristol City last year.
The 44-year-old was previously Honorary President of Saudi Arabian professional football club Al-Taawoun, as well as owning both Egyptian side Pyramids FC and Spanish outfit Almeria.
The latter achieved promotion to La Liga under Alalshikh's ownership before he sold to club to a group of investors from Saudi Arabia, led by SMC Group.
In October 2025, Alalshikh posted a cryptic message on X suggesting Manchester United were in an 'advanced stage' of a takeover, but no such deal came to fruition.
According to Telegraph Sport, the English Football League (EFL) are satisfied Alalshikh's proposed investment passes its regulations and the final approval is now down to the IFR, with a decision to be made in the next week.
Established in July of last year, this deal is set to be one of the IFR's biggest tests since they were brought in to help protect and promote the sustainability of English football.
Derby will still have to work within the financial parameters of the Championship's Profit and Sustainability rules irrespective of whether Alalshikh's investment is approved or not, but Rams boss John Eustace will have plenty of room to manouevre as the club look to reinforce their current squad.
The East Midlands outfit finished eighth in the Championship last season, four points adrift of a play-off berth. Eighth in the upcoming campaign will be enough to secure a spot in the post-season extravaganza after the EFL approved the expansion of the play-off system in the second tier.
Derby have already signed Bobby Clark, Charlie Taylor and Filip Bilbija, while Sammie Szmodics is expected to make a permanent return to Pride Park after spending the second half of last season on loan at the club from Ipswich Town.
