Turki Alalshikh is reportedly in talks with Derby County over an investment deal.
Alalshikh is the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and a prominent Saudi government official, renowned for his impact in boxing.
The Saudi bankroller has been at the heart of a number of blockbuster boxing cards in more recent years, and his authority in the sport is rapidly growing alongside the flourishing Riyadh Season.
'His Excellency' was previously Honorary President of Saudi Arabian professional football club Al-Taawoun, having also owned Egyptian side Pyramids FC and Spanish outfit Almeria.
It's thought that his investment at Derby would allow for significant spending as they look to book their return to the top-flight next term, and we take a look at five signings that the Rams could make in the summer transfer window.
Adam Webster
Brighton defender Adam Webster is set to leave the club after seven years when his contract expires in June 2026.
The 31-year old joined the club in 2019 and played 22+ games in four consecutive Premier League campaigns as the Seagulls transformed from relegation candidates to European hopefuls, but injuries have minimised his involvement in recent terms and he failed to make a single appearance in the 2025/26 season.
Webster's lack of playing time may deny him of a Premier League switch, but he could prove a shrewd addition for a Championship outfit like Derby, having represented Bristol City and Ipswich Town in the second tier prior to his £20m move to Brighton.
Bobby Clark
The Rams would be naive not to pursue Bobby Clark on a permanent basis after a mightily impressive loan spell at Pride Park.
The 21-year-old played a leading role as Derby narrowly missed out on a play-off spot in the 2025/26 campaign, making 42 appearances, recording seven goal contributions and being named the club's Young Player of the Season.
Clark made the £10m switch to RB Salzburg in search of more playing in 2024, following in the footsteps of former Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders, but he failed to make a sizeable impact in a relatively underwhelming debut campaign.
Derby manager John Eustace has emphasised his desire to retain the services of Clark, and the potential investment of Alalshikh could put the East Midlands outfit in a strong position to make a permanent swoop for the promising midfielder.
Stephy Mavididi
A dismal 2025/26 campaign saw Leicester City return to the third tier of English football 10 years on from winning the Premier League, and, in truth, few players covered themselves in glory.
In spite of a catastrophic season, the Foxes do possess quality in their squad and there's an overarching sense that a number of players are too good to be playing in League One. Stephy Mavididi could be one of them.
The 27-year-old forward scored 12 goals and recorded six assists as Leicester earned promotion to the Premier League in 2023/24, but he's since left much to be desired and found the net on just three occasions in the 2025/26 Championship season.
In a highly functional team with ambitions to make the jump to the top-flight flight, however, Mavididi could flourish and Derby could be keen to exploit a market opportunity.
Ross Stewart
While Southampton do have an option to extend Ross Stewart's contract by 12 months, as of now he's set to leave the club in June.
The Scotsman would likely have relished the opportunity to extend his stay with the Saints had they have earned promotion to the top-flight, but their exclusion from the Championship play-off final has cast doubt over a number of players' future and Stewart may be amongst those looking to explore options elsewhere.
The striker has been hindered by repetitive injury problems over the years, there's no two ways about it, but he enjoyed a relatively productive end to the 2025/26 season and Derby could look to acquire the 29-year-old if they can sign him at a cut price, or even on a free transfer in the event that Southampton don't extend his stay.
Dominic Ballard
While investment from Alalshikh would predictably link Derby to big names, they'd be naive not to cast an eye over some of the star performers from the 2025/26 League One season.
Leyton Orient forward Dominic Ballard set League One alight in his first full season as a regular senior starter, finding the net on 23 occasions, more than any other player in the division, and winning EFL League One Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season.
After a breakout season with The O's, EFL clubs may want to move fast to secure his signature before interest in the striker intensifies. With Patrick Agyemang set to be sidelined for the foreseeable, Derby could be amongst the teams attentive to Ballard's situation.
