Derby County owner Mel Morris is yet to provide the EFL with assurances of his financial backing.

What's the talk?

That's according to Alan Nixon's report for The Sun on Sunday (via The 72), with the journalist revealing that the Rams owner appears to be stalling over providing the EFL with proof that he can afford to financially run Derby for the 2021/22 Championship season.

The journalist continues by stating that, as a direct result of the chairman's apparent unwillingness to corporate with the governing body, Wayne Rooney is not able to offer four players contracts to join his Rams side for the current campaign.

Indeed, Nixon goes on to claim that the club's current transfer embargo will not be eased until Morris has proven he has sufficient funds in order to pay tax bills, as well as being able to make payments to former Derby employees.

Fans will be fuming

Derby fans will not need reminding that Rooney is operating with something of a skeleton squad at Pride Park, with the 35-year-old currently being able to pick from just 15 fit first-team players - something that has not been helped by the recent injury sustained by Colin Kazim-Richards.

Indeed, it is evident that the former England international is in rather desperate need of additions this summer, and, with the likes of  Sam Baldock, Tom Carroll, Phil Jagielka and Andre Wisdom believed to be in training with the club, it would seem as if Rooney has identified a number of targets he would like to bring in.

However, with it now being apparent that the 35-year-old has not been able to complete these signings as a direct result of his own chairman's actions, Rooney, as well as fans of the club, should rightly be fuming with Morris.

Having said that, if the owner simply does not have the proof that he can fund the club for the current season, then this anger could quickly turn into legitimate fear about the future of the Rams, as the club could quite feasibly find themselves placed into administration in the not too distant future - something that no football fan, Derby or otherwise, would like to see.

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