How John Textor's wealth compares to David Clowes as Derby County takeover eyed | OneFootball

The American reportedly has his eyes on the Rams

John Textor's name continues to make its way into EFL-related headlines heading into November, with the American now casting his eye over the situation of various Championship sides at present.

The 60-year-old is currently looking for a route back into football ownership within the English game, having recently sold shares in Crystal Palace, which were acquired through his company named Eagle Football Holdings.

This was down to the well-documented controversy which overshadowed the subsequent venture into European football which Oliver Glasner's side had earned through defeating Manchester City 1-0 in May's FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, with Textor's prior involvement in Ligue 1 side, Lyon, forcing the Eagles to be demoted into the UEFA Europa Conference League after a breach of UEFA's 'multi-club ownership' regulations.

As such, Textor has been heavily linked, in recent weeks and months, with a potential takeover of Sheffield Wednesday, with the Championship side now under the control of administrators in the form of Begbies Traynor.

However, as we edge closer towards a critical period in the EFL season, it has emerged that the Botafogo chairman is also eyeing up a potential stake in the Owls' second tier rivals, Derby County.

This comes at a time when the Rams' majority owner, David Clowes, is believed to be on the lookout for external investment in order to aid progress in this part of the East Midlands under the management of John Eustace.

Derby were one of the most active sides in the summer window as a result, and, given the aforementioned developments, FLW has compared the wealth of their current owner to that of Textor, who could become involved at boardroom level.

The wealth of current Derby County owner David Clowes

According to the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, Derby's current owner, Clowes, is worth a reported £380m, some three years after he rescued his boyhood club from extinction with a £33m takeover.

Unlike several modern-day owners, Clowes' wealth stems from local origin, having taken on the family business - CWC Group - which was founded by his father, Charles, back in 1964.

The Rams chairman became involved in the business back in 1985, but his main occupation between 2000 and 2012 was as a pilot for British Midland International.

He took control of the business following his father's passing in February 2015, with the business making a turnover of £253.2m by the accounting year which coincided with his takeover at Pride Park.

Unsurprisingly, given his affiliation with the club, many supporters continue to hold Clowes in high regard for the stability which he has provided in order to aid a rebirth of sorts in DE24, with the club investing heavily in the recent transfer window, including a £7.3m deal for USMNT forward, Patrick Agyemang.

John Textor's wealth as Derby County rumours surface

As previously mentioned, Textor is eyeing potential involvement at Pride Park after selling £190m worth of shares at Selhurst Park in the summer in controversial circumstances.

The American made his name in the entertainment business, although there have been mixed reports which state both the wealth of his individual companies and himself through such developments.

A June report from I Do Business stated Textor was worth at least $28m as a rough estimate, although it acknowledged that his overall net worth is most likely to be within the region of $75m to $100m.

It was also reported in June, prior to the sale of his shares in Crystal Palace and Lyon, that Textor's multi-football club-themed empire was worth at least £1.47bn in November 2024.

At this point, though, it remains to be seen if he does become a part or majority owner at Derby, with reports last year revealing that Clowes could be willing to part with up to 80 percent of his majority stake if a sufficient bid was placed, whilst fresh claims state that Textor is still viewing Sheffield Wednesday as his top priority.