Derby County will be looking for another top eight finish in the Championship in 2026/27.

Last season, John Eustace’s side finished eighth, just four points behind the play-off places, but the competition has now expanded to include two additional teams.

Bobby Clark, who was on loan last season, has already been added to the Rams’ permanent squad.

Their other transfers include Charlie Taylor and Filip Bilbija, both of whom signed as free agents.

The Championship side has until September 1 to complete any outstanding transfers, but it is unclear how much money the club has available to spend.

The Telegraph also reported that Turki Alalshikh is close to making an investment in Derby, which might have an impact on their intentions for the remaining weeks of the window.

Turki Alalshikh’s investment claim amid Derby rumours

When asked how he feels about Alashikh’s recent investment links, FLW Derby fan analyst Shaun Woodward said he’s still doubtful of a transaction going through because it’s been mentioned several times before without coming to fruition.

However, he is ultimately fine with whatever decision owner David Clowes makes, as he believes the chairman will make the best option for the club’s future, even if extra investment is required.

“They are exciting times, but I am also a little sceptical,” Woodward told Football League World.

“This has been going on for a long time; I’ll believe it when I see it.

“We obviously need more investment if we want to carry on and compete with the top teams in the league and make it to the Premier League.

“That being said, just because someone comes in with more money does not mean you will be successful.

“You still have to be careful with how you spend it, and as we’ve discovered the hard way, throwing money at it doesn’t always work.”

“So, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t go through and David Clowes stays in charge, and does things sensibly and sustainably because it’s worked over the last couple of seasons.”

Derby must avoid the Mel Morris 2.0 predicament.

Woodward wants Derby to avoid a situation similar to the one they faced under previous owner Mel Morris, who forced the club into administration, so he would rather that things remain as it is under Clowes.

“I fully trust David Clowes though, and if he feels this investment helps move the club forward then I’m all for it,” he concluded.

“However, if he doesn’t believe it’s right and it doesn’t happen, I’m more than glad to have David Clowes remain at the helm and continue to grow the club properly.

“Because we’ve certainly been through tough times, which I don’t need to go into, but he’s come in and stabilised the club in the last few years, and I’d rather be patient and do things the right way than go back to how we were under Mel Morris.”

Derby entered administration in 2021/22 and was eventually taken over by Clowes in the summer of 2022.

The local businessman oversaw the club’s return to the Championship, and Paul Warne will lead the Rams to promotion in 2024.

Derby finished 19th in their first season back in the second tier, before finishing seventh under Eustace in 2025/26.

And now they may be in line for further investment from Alalshikh, however it is unclear how much any takeover agreement will cost.

The EFL has apparently given their clearance for the process to continue, with the Independent Football Regulator yet to make a decision.

If a deal is reached within the next few weeks, it could allow for additional investment in the first-team squad before the market closes on September 1.

Keeping David Clowes on board should be crucial for Derby.

Clowes has been vital in Derby’s turnaround, and it’s unclear where the team would be without him.

So retaining him on board should be the focus of any prospective investment in the Championship team, since he clearly understands what he is doing.

If the Rams are to compete with the elite clubs at this level and earn promotion to the Premier League, they must be financially competitive.

The new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) guidelines also require clubs to grow organically, thus the opportunity to expand swiftly under Alalshikh may be limited, serving as a subtle warning to fans anticipating significant overnight changes.