The EFL have asked Derby County's administrators to prove how they will source the £13.5 million needed to last until the end of the season or face a strict transfer embargo, according to a report from The Sun. 

The East Midlands club installed Quantuma as their administrators last month, suffering a subsequent 12-point deduction that has seen them drop to the bottom of the table, and the business advisory firm are now searching for a buyer.

They're said to still be confident that new ownership will be in charge early next year but if that doesn't happen it seems their plans for the winter window could be impacted significantly by the EFL's latest request.

A report from The Sun has indicated that Derby's administrators have been asked to prove how they will fund the running of the club in 2021/22, which is said to cost around £13.5 million.

It is understood that if they're unable to prove how they will keep the Rams going for the next six months, the club could be placed under a strict transfer embargo that would impact their January plans, which include trying to deal shrewdly to boost their chances of Championship survival, significantly.

The report claims that the £13.5 million it may cost to run the club until the end of the season is much more than they currently have in the bank, meaning that extra financing from outside may be required.

The Verdict

This could be a fresh spanner in the works for Derby, who have already had to deal with so much this term.

They'll have been hoping to add Wayne Rooney some well-needed reinforcements in the January window but they may not be able to do that if they're under a strict transfer embargo.

For their sake, you'd hope that they can find a new buyer before then or can do enough to convince the EFL that their financial plan is sound.

Adding more players in the winter window could be pivotal to the Rams' chances of staying up this term, so an embargo could be fatal for them.