Derby County confident of avoiding EFL punishment despite major losses

5th March 2019, Pride Park, Derby, England; EFL Championship football, Derby Country versus Wigan Athletic; General view of the Derby County Ram on the tunnel path with the pitch and stadium (photo by Roland Harrison/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Derby will have no option but to slash their wage bill again this summer Credit: Getty Images

Derby County are confident of avoiding punishment from the English Football League, after Birmingham's nine-point deduction over breaches of the new spending rules

But Derby will have no option but to slash their wage bill again this summer if manager Frank Lampard fails to achieve promotion back to the Premier League, in a bid to maintain cost control and ensure they do not face future sanctions.

Birmingham became the first club to be punished over the new profitability and sustainability rules last Friday, with the EFL docking them nine points subject to an appeal.

The Championship club incurred losses of nearly £49m - almost £10m more than the accepted £39m over a three-year period - and are now facing a relegation battle with eight games left to play.

Derby were another Championship club thought to be facing potential punishment as they have spent significantly over the past four years in a bid to reach the Premier League, while it is understood they have been losing up to £2m a month.

But insiders at Pride Park insist they will be operating within the financial limits and do not fear any sanctions over the summer, based on current submissions to the EFL.

Mel Morris, the owner and chairman, is seeking either investment or a sale of the club and will move to lower the wage bill this summer if Lampard fails to earn promotion this season. Derby are acutely aware that current financial levels cannot be sustained in future seasons.

However, Derby's financial position will be dramatically improved if Lampard manages to guide the club out of the Championship, with the club currently one point adrift of the play-off places. Derby also have a number of players out of contract this summer, including former England international David Nugent, Bradley Johnson, Alex Pearce, Jacob Butterfield, Craig Bryson, Nick Blackman and Marcus Olsson.

Derby face Rotherham at Pride Park on Saturday, eighth in the table.

And Lampard's promotion mission has been boosted this week by the return of Mason Mount to training.

Chelsea loanee Mount has missed the last ten games with a hamstring injury but is now back in training and in contention for this weekend. Tom Lawrence, the Wales international, is also back in training.

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