Derby County may have narrowly lost out on the Championship play-offs in 2025-26, but with two more spaces available next season, there is hope that 2026-27 will be their year.

The Rams were once in the top six on the last day of the season, but Sheffield United turned the Pride Park encounter on its head and Hull City went on to beat Norwich City, allowing the Tigers to advance while Derby fell short.

It’s easy to forget that, despite their success this season, Derby were in financial trouble just a few years ago when previous owner Mel Morris placed the club into administration in 2021. Nine months later, local businessman and lifelong fan David Clowes saved them from extinction in a deal worth around £55 million when creditors were satisfied.

And, while County has recovered and is financially healthy under Clowes’ leadership, he has made no secret of his intention to acquire external investment at some point in order to propel the club to the next level, potentially returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2008.

No investor has yet come up with the funds to assist Derby take the next step, but could Saudi sports magnate Turki Alalsheikh be that man?

Turki Alalshikh delivers a new mysterious Derby County-related tweet.

There was great uncertainty last week when an astute Rams fan noticed that Alalshikh had followed various Derby-related accounts on social media platform X, including the club’s official account.

And, in what could be interpreted as a further hint from the 44-year-old, Alalshikh merely tweeted ‘Derby’ with a shrugging emoji, accompanied by a pretty bizarre but potentially ominous video, with the song ‘Rasputin’ with Boney M playing over top.

Could this be something serious? Boxing advisor Sam Jones is a Derby supporter and may have humorously indicated that Alalshikh is now a fan, but he has recently held takeover talks with other EFL clubs.

Bristol City confirmed last October that Alalshikh had held investment talks with the Robins, but nothing came of it. Earlier in 2025, he had also been linked with negotiations at Millwall, with ex-Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan confirming the Middle Eastern billionaire’s interest in the Lions and Southampton a year ago, citing a desire for a club in the south of England.

What is Turki Alalsheikh’s net worth in the midst of Derby County takeover speculation?

Derby, of course, is in the Midlands rather than the south, so Alalshikh may have adjusted his strategy if he is truly interested in the Rams.

He certainly has the resources to make a difference. Alalshikh, a high-ranking member of the Saudi government, is head of the General Entertainment Authority and is recognized with introducing some of the country’s greatest sporting events, with boxing being a major focus.

And, thanks to his work in Saudi Arabia and around the world, Alalshikh has amassed a net worth of £2.1 billion (according to CEO Today), giving him enough of money to deal with if he joins an EFL team like Derby.

Alalshikh is no stranger to football club ownership, having previously owned Egyptian club Pyramids for a year and Spanish outfit Almeria from 2019 to 2025 before selling to another group of Saudi investors – there may be some doubt about his actual interests in Derby, but he could theoretically be an interested investor in their future.