How much money Turki Alalshikh can actually spend at Derby County | OneFootball

Reports suggest the Saudi businessman is set to invest in the club.

The future looks bright for Derby County after a much-improved season on the pitch and news of a potential takeover at Pride Park.

John Eustace was appointed as the Rams' head coach in February 2025 and not only guided the club to safety but led them to an eighth-place finish this term, a stellar achievement by the 46-year-old.

With the right man in charge, the East Midlands club are poised to progress and potentially mount a play-off charge next term, something they have not managed since 2019.

Saudi businessman Turki Alalshikh is in ‘advanced talks’ over putting funds into Derby, but just how much could he spend if a deal were to go through at Pride Park?

Football finance expert reveals how much Turki Alalshikh could spend at Derby County

News of a potential takeover at Pride Park is bound to prick the ears of Derby supporters, but we all know that possessing substantial funds does not mean being able to spend them.

From the 2026-27 season onward, clubs will have to follow squad cost ratio (SCR) rules, rather than profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, after teams in the Championship unanimously voted in its favour.

Spending will therefore be based on revenue, with clubs allowed to spend 80% of their revenue on things like transfer fees and wages.

When asked on X how much Derby could actually spend if Alakshikh does invest in the club, leading football finance expert Kieran Maguire shed light on the situation.

"He can put up to £15 million in a year or £33 million over three years in the form of equity that counts towards SCR," Maguire stated.

This essentially means that the Saudi businessman can fund losses of around £15million in a single year and £33million over three years, as the rules are assessed over a three-year period - this would ensure that the Rams could spend as much as they like up to the figures outlined by Maguire, and they'll have to drive their revenues via ticket sales and commercial deals, and perhaps player trading too.

What positions could Derby County invest in this summer?

While the Rams did remarkably well to be in the play-off conversation this season, the Championship is set to be even stronger next term, meaning a top-six finish would be hard to come by.

Not only are West Ham, Burnley and Wolves returning to the second tier, but the likes of Birmingham City and Wrexham will be stronger, while Southampton, Millwall and Middlesbrough could challenge again.

If Alalshikh does invest in Derby's playing squad, then several areas of the pitch need strengthening.

Firstly, Eustace needs a potent striker who can bag a minimum of 15 goals, something the club have not achieved in the Championship since Harry Wilson notched 18 in the 2018-19 season.

Other than that, a creative midfielder would be a huge plus, while general squad depth would help them compete and maintain a play-off push again until the end of the campaign.

Sammie Szmodics, Bobby Clark, David Ozoh, and Ben Brereton Diaz have all been on loan at Pride Park this season, and the Rams must decide whether they want to pursue any of them where possible.

Of course, while all of this is speculative at present, a potential investment with Eustace at the helm makes for promising times at Derby.