Derby County are to announce at a press conference on
Monday that the club have been taken over by new American
owners.
Rams chairman Adam Pearson has been searching for new investment
since his appointment in October and a takeover of the club has now
been completed.
The new owners have not been named, but it has been reported that
Derby have been negotiating with a sports management company which
is heavily involved in a number of American sports.
A statement on Derby's official website said: "Derby County
football club is to make a positive announcement on the club's
future at a press conference to be held at Pride Park this coming
Monday."
And in a statement to be published in Saturday's matchday programme
for the FA Cup fourth round clash with Preston, Pearson is set to
announce that it is hoped the new investment will convert Derby to
a worldwide brand.
Develop
"This new investment will establish the Derby County brand
worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the
USA, the Far East and Africa," Pearson said.
"The key aim is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club
at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which is renowned as a
Premier League force. This will add new financial firepower to the
squad."
Derby become the latest Premier League side to come under American
ownership.
The Glazer family were the first Americans to take charge of a
top-flight side after completing a takeover of Manchester United in
2005.
Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks also hail from across
the Atlantic, while Aston Villa are owned by American Randy
Lerner.