Turki Alalshikh has withdrawn from plans to take control of Derby County, bringing an end to a proposed deal that had already received regulatory approval.
The Saudi government official had been pursuing the acquisition through Lion Sport, with the transaction understood to involve a controlling stake in the Championship club.
Both the English Football League and the Independent Football Regulator had cleared the proposed investment, but Derby were informed on Monday that Alalshikh no longer intended to proceed.
Derby have now confirmed that the club is no longer available for sale and will remain under the ownership of Clowes Developments, which has controlled the club since rescuing it from administration in 2022.
Timing becomes key factor
Alalshikh said the length of the regulatory process had ultimately made it difficult to complete the takeover with enough time to properly prepare for the new season.
The proposed transaction had been under consideration by the Independent Football Regulator since May. Although Alalshikh accepted that the regulator needed time to complete its checks, the 2026-27 campaign had already begun by the time the process reached its final stage.
He indicated that proceeding without sufficient preparation would not have been the right decision for either the football operation or the wider club.
However, the possibility of future discussions has not been completely ruled out, with Alalshikh suggesting contact with Derby could continue.
The regulator said it completed its assessment of the proposed ownership change within 55 days, comfortably inside the 90-day legal limit.
It had reached a preliminary decision to approve the bid before the start of the season and had informed the relevant parties of that position the previous week.
Under the new regulatory framework, prospective owners of clubs in the top five divisions of English men’s football are examined across several areas. These include financial strength, the availability and origin of investment funds, honesty and integrity, as well as any relevant criminal, civil or regulatory history.
Human rights concerns surrounded bid
The proposed takeover had also attracted scrutiny from human rights organisations because of Alalshikh’s prominent position within Saudi Arabia.
Alalshikh chairs the country’s General Entertainment Authority and is closely associated with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His growing influence in international sport, particularly boxing, has led critics to connect his activities with Saudi Arabia’s wider use of major sporting events and investments to strengthen its global image.
Amnesty International was among the organisations to raise concerns about the Derby proposal, arguing that the case represented an important early test of the Independent Football Regulator’s ownership assessment system.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly faced criticism over its human rights record, including the use of the death penalty, restrictions affecting women and its treatment of LGBT people. Critics have accused the country of using sport to shift attention away from those issues.
Alalshikh has already been involved in football ownership outside England. He owned Egyptian side Pyramids FC between 2018 and 2019 and was later the owner of Spanish club Almeria.
He sold Almeria in May to a Saudi investment group, before turning his attention towards a potential controlling investment in Derby.
With that deal now abandoned, Derby will continue under Clowes Developments as the club moves forward with its 2026-27 Championship campaign.